long read: on practice.

Soulfully is about to head into a new direction once again with a “practice journal” from now on. (Which I really should have done awhile ago, actually.) I was reading this post and I realized that I haven’t been doing a lot of actual music practice. Sure, I’ve completed many songs throughout the course of the year, but what would I rather have: to have one perfectly polished song (at the pace of once per month) or to create a practice song everyday? Here are a few pointers in summary for myself (and others) to keep in mind when practicing: 

• It should be challenging, and involve learning a new concept. 
• Practice should be consistent and long term.
• Practice songs are not WIPs. (The difference explained)
• Goals expected from the practice journal.

• It should be challenging, and involve learning a new concept. If it were easy to do, then it wouldn’t be practice at all; it’d just be staying in your comfort zone and doing the same things over and over. 

• Practice should be consistent and long term. I was thinking of trying to post one everyday or every other day. Consistency is more important than being able to accomplish one huge thing and then take a long break. 

• Practice songs are not WIPs: a WIP implies that the song is currently a rough draft to be completed in the future. They are also much less challenging to do. Practice songs sound “mature” or completed for the most part (except that it is shorter) and wouldn’t require a lot of time to extend the playing time in order for it to become a full fledged song. So think of it as a ‘mini song.’

• Goals expected from the practice journal: to overall develop musically, to be consistent, to be able to wrap lyrics / songwriting / music production / rhythm together, and learn how to notate within the course of this year and next year.