The Musician's Way Blog

“It’s your internal motivation that opens the creative spigot.”
-The Musician’s Way, p. 105

Those of us who create day after day know that things don’t always go smoothly. Sometimes our work flows; other times difficulties slow us down.

But whether we’re dealing with good days or not, one simple practice helps keep our creativity rolling. Continue Reading

“Take the action and the insight will follow.”
–Anne Lamott, author (The Musician’s Way, p. 107)

Suppose that you want to start a creative project – compose a solo, write a song, design a logo, or whatever.

You’ve done your research and set aside time to work.

Do you typically dive into such projects, or do you tend to procrastinate?

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Claudio Arrau

“I don’t say that I never feel fear before a performance,
but I have learned to channel it.”
–Claudio Arrau, pianist (The Musician’s Way, p. 162)

Imagine that you’re arriving at a venue 90 minutes before you’ll perform.

You have to set up the stage, check the lighting and sound, confer with technical staff, warm up, and change clothing.

How do you carry out all of those tasks and still prepare to give an inspired show? Continue Reading

“The beauty in playing the instrument is not to be better than the next person
but to stay true to oneself, to set one’s own standards and keep to them.”
–Andrés Cárdenes, violinist (The Musician’s Way, p. 305)

In many ways, we succeed or flounder as artists based on the standards we uphold.

Here are three reasons why.

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“Meaning is what matters most in your day-to-day practice.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 312

Might there exist people who devote themselves to music solely for material gain?

I doubt it.

Rather, it’s the psychic income that we derive from our work that we most prize.

Continue Reading

“Diverse careers are available to musicians because people worldwide consume huge amounts of music-related products and services every day.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 300

Are there too many musicians and music presenters for the marketplace to support?
I think not.

For entrepreneurial musicians, opportunities abound, provided that we’re willing to do the work necessary to gain competitive advantages. Continue Reading

Arts entrepreneurship isn’t a slice of the educational pie – it’s the pan.

I hope that lead-off sentence strikes a chord with you as it does with me.

I adapted it from a statement attributed to Andrew Rasiej (“Innovation is not a slice of the pie – it’s the pan”).

Here are 3 reasons why I find those words and entrepreneurship education so compelling. Continue Reading

“Throw yourself into life as someone who makes a difference.”
–Benjamin Zander, conductor (The Musician’s Way, p. 305)

One of the most powerful ways that we can make a difference in life is to do creative work.

Still, unless we choose our aims wisely, we can feel overwhelmed or undermotivated, and then we won’t create.

How can we discern goals that impel us to act? Continue Reading

“Combine your mistakes and your triumphs, stir them into the pot of artistic progress, and then savor what bubbles up.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 112

Let’s say that you’ve pinpointed some creative goals, equipped your workspace, and scheduled daily times to create - your objectives are within reach and you’re fired up to achieve them.

Is that sufficient groundwork to establish an ongoing creative practice? Continue Reading

“The real essence of art turned out to be not something high up and far off – it was right inside my ordinary daily self.”
–Shinichi Suzuki, violinist & teacher (The Musician’s Way, p. 109)

I’m always surprised when I hear people attribute creativity to luck when, in fact, creative energy effervesces within each of us, within our “ordinary daily selves.”

All we have to do is act.

What enables me to create, for instance, is my commitment to working coupled with a bank of creative skills that I’ve acquired – skills that anyone can acquire. Continue Reading