How Daydreaming Can Help Your Practice

Have you ever had a teacher in grade school, or maybe a frustrated parent tell you to pay attention, stop daydreaming, and get back to work?

Or maybe it’s something you say to yourself when you find your attention drifting after your tenth attempt of Don Juan?

Well, I’m here to tell you to stop being productive and get back to daydreaming.

The second pillar of my audition preparation approach is artistry. 

Too often, we dive into new music (or familiar music) just thinking about technique: what are the notes, the fingerings, the bowings, the breath marks? How can I play this more in tune? How can I improve my rhythm?

And yes, those are very important aspects of learning music.

But for me, this approach is like the tail wagging the dog. In other words, you are making decisions about technique without first knowing what it is you want to say.

Your practice won't be efficient if you don't know what you want to sound like. This means you should start by asking yourself these questions:

What is the emotional impact of this excerpt?What kind of sound would best describe that emotion? How do I create that sound?What is the storyline? How does the phrase change as it continues? What is the color? What is the texture?How does this make me feel in my gut?How do I want other people to hear it? Feel it?

So spend some time with the music away from the instrument. Pick a nice spot to relax and hear it in ways that are new. Give it a story, a visual, or a feeling. Maybe all three at once! 

Make sure you add this very important step to your preparation before diving into the details. It will make your practicing more focused and efficient (not to mention, more musically satisfying). And summertime is the perfect time to do this!

Happy Daydreaming!