The Musician's Way Blog

“No pitch is merely a pitch; each one has a living quality.”
-The Musician’s Way, p. 20

The February 2013 edition of The Musician’s Way Newsletter has arrived in subscribers’ inboxes and is being widely shared.

As usual, the newsletter incorporates more than 15 articles that explore issues of music making, practice, creativity, career building, technology and more.

You’ll find resources to easily publish websites, ticket concerts, and improve ear training skills. There are announcements about technological innovations and professional opportunities. Continue Reading

“A balanced lifestyle is essential to your well-being
and therefore to your long-term success as a musician.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 13

The December 2011 issue of The Musician’s Way Newsletter features more than 15 must-read articles about creativity, music making, website development, the future of orchestras, fellowships for post-graduate musicians, and more.

The only newsletter that delves into the full spectrum of issues that today’s musicians face, you can also learn about the actual revenues that performers earn from recordings. Continue Reading

“The Musician’s Way should be on the shelf of every aspiring professional musician
and every serious music educator.”
—Clavier Companion, May/June 2010

This week marks the two-year anniversary of the launching of MusiciansWay.com.

And what an incredible two years it has been.

Over the span of these 24 months, this site has received hundreds of thousands of pageviews, and The Musician’s Way has earned unanimous praise from reviewers worldwide. Continue Reading

Stéphane Grappelli

“Before you play, you must prepare your way.”
Stéphane Grappelli, violinist (The Musician’s Way, p. 157)

In my previous post, “The Preparation Timeline,” I contended that when we book a performance, audition, or recording session, a written timeline bolsters our creativity by helping us plan – it frees us to focus on our art.

But even when in the weeks leading up to an event everything runs smoothly, on the day of a performance numerous logistical matters need coordinating. Continue Reading

“With big events, the artistic and logistical details can reach nerve-racking proportions.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 216

We all know that excellent performances result from thorough preparation.

But preparing for concerts, auditions, and recording sessions entails managing numerous particulars long before those events take place. Continue Reading

Miles Davis

“Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.”
–Miles Davis, trumpeter and composer

Miles Davis poetically captures the essence of artistic musicianship.

That is, we don’t pursue musical excellence to retrace other performers’ steps. Rather, we strive to express our unique musical voices and create something new.

How do we attain such comprehensive fluency? Continue Reading

“By taking the appropriate steps, you can acquire the ability to get up in front of people and unleash your musical soul.”
-The Musician’s Way, p. 153

I’m pleased to announce the debut of the MusiciansWay.com page on Facebook. Continue Reading

Louis Armstrong

“What we play is life.”
–Louis Armstrong, trumpeter and composer

Would many musicians dispute Louis Armstrong’s words? I doubt it.

With each turn of a phrase, we performers spin out some of the essence of being alive, and we relish every moment. Continue Reading

Gerald Klickstein

“Amassing the know-how of a professional musician takes time and diligence, but the personal investments you make will bring rewards beyond measure.”
–The Musician’s Way, p. 314

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of MusiciansWay.com and The Musician’s Way Blog. My book The Musician’s Way debuted in August of 2009.

I invite you to join me as I commemorate these occasions.

Continue Reading

“In order to be creative
you have to know how to prepare to be creative.”
-Twyla Tharp, choreographer (The Creative Habit, p. 9)

Even though musical expertise results from persistent practice, it can be tough for us musicians to stick to our practice schedules over the span of months and years.

What’s more, when we arrive at the practice studio, it isn’t always easy for us to make inspired music.

I believe that all of us can be consistently creative, but the key to our doing so lies in our ability to prepare for our practice sessions. Continue Reading