The Art of Practice: 3 Fundamental Habits

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A small core of productive habits can heavily alter your trajectory of improvement and natural growth towards your true uniquity.

 

  • Focus attention on your breathing.
  • Look away from your instrument to develop good posture, listening skills, and your sense of touch
  • Consistently follow through with every new concept you learn until fluent.

 

These three ideas allow for an in depth connection to the sound and flow of the instrument!

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Welcoming Cody as the new GM at NAMS!

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NAMS FAM! If you’ve been around the facility over the last 9 years, chances are you have seen Cody teaching a lesson, recording a band, or helping one of our shows go off without a hitch. After much consideration, we have promoted Cody Sowell to become the General Manager of Neighborhood Art & Music School in Frisco, TX.

If you have any questions, concerns, or needs, feel free to connect with Cody: cody@namsfrisco.com.

He is here to help with your success!

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The Art of Practice: Turn Off The Metronome

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In the music world, its common knowledge that it’s beneficial to practice with a metronome. It can help develop consistency. However, many players find using a metronome difficult and irritating! (we’ve all been there!!)


If you are struggling to execute any basic isolated techniques such as pressing a key, left hand fretting & right hand picking/strumming, wrist strokes, rebound strokes, general memorization, etc.; the metronome may not be useful in that moment.

The challenge is coordinating several moving parts. 

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The Art of Practice: Reduce Variables

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Do you struggle developing coordination?

 

You are likely trying to do more than one new move at a time.

 

If your fretting hand chord changes are not comfortable, learning a new strum at the same time will be a risk. 

  • Do muted strums only(no chord), so you can develop your rhythm consistently without worrying about coordinating the fretting hand. 

If you cannot get the kick drum correctly placed 

  • remove your hand that hits the cymbals, hi hats, etc. and play only the kick and snare(backbeat).
  • After that is comfortable and consistent, stop hitting the snare and do the kick and cymbal parts only. Then go back to back beat only. Repeat until effortless, then combine.

On piano, make sure the left hand isn’t struggling before you assume the right hand is your problem. 

  • ***Take 2 minutes to isolate each.****** Then repeat for more time if needed.

This is about isolating problem areas, developing control, and getting out of the mindset of HOPING the part will work on the next repeat.

 

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What is Natural Talent?

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Is it real or a myth?

If you ask the masters about their “natural talent”, most will remind you of the hard work it took to get them their status.

 

Still, it’s undeniable when they are performing; they are a NATURAL.

Some wouldn’t be able to answer the question because they are extraordinarily natural.

What makes each individual unique then?

 

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