When do I go out and play?

I've heard so many different opinions on this subject.  Do I wait until I can play 20 songs?  Do I need to start a band first?  What kind of open mic venues can/should I go to?  Am I good enough?

Well. . . here goes. . .

When I first started playing the trumpet, there was nobody to discourage me, put fear in my heart. . .tell me what other people would think (with their psychic selves).  I had books.  It wasn't my first instrument.  So, I taught myself the fingerings from the book, taught myself 2 songs by ear and went to an open mic.  I had been playing all of 4 weeks.

Since I am a singer, I was very conscious of tone and sound.  So, I developed a vibrato similar to my singing vibrato and kept it moving.  It was a success.  I did my two songs and they loved it.  It helped that the audience had a number of personal friends there and the session was hosted by a friend.  But, the bottom line for me was that I knew how to make an appealing sound and I had practiced the songs.  So, I wasn't scared.  In addition to that, I knew that they were not allowed to throw chairs and they didn't serve food.

I would not advise going to a jam with seasoned players.  You might get away with that 1 maybe 2 times.  Then they will not let you on the stage.  If the second time they see a great improvement, you might become some one's pet project or find a teacher/advisor.

What I will say is:
1)  Only play what you already know you can play.
2)  Make sure it sounds good to you.  None of us are so unique that we are the only person in all the world who likes a thing.  If you like it, there is someone else that does too.
3)  Be choosy about who you share with as you work on this.  Make sure you are opening yourself up to truly supportive listening.
4)  The worse that can happen is, you sound bad.  You WILL improve and they can't eat you alive.
5)  If you truly suck the first time, people will notice the improvement and probably say so.  (How will you know you sucked?  They will say you're brave.) LOL
6)  Playing with other musicians is always helpful.
7)  Beware of snobs and cynics.  They can take the wind out of your sails.  (run!)
8)  Find a good teacher, even if you can only go once a month.  This is so valuable.
9)  Play, play, play!  Play for your friends and family.  If you suck, they'll tell you in their own way. Then run it by your teacher and find out what she/he says.
10) Criticism is criticism.  Advice is advice.  Help is help.

I am hard headed and tenacious. Unnecessary criticism got to me.  Stopped me dead in my tracks.  But, I cannot be kept down.  Neither should you!

BROWSE THE LESSONS AND SCHOOLS IN THE MARGIN TO THE RIGHT!!  You never know what you might find just in passing!

Practice, practice, practice. . . even if you don't want to get to Carnegie Hall

There are several reasons to practice on a daily and consistent basis.  The most prominent purpose of  practicing is to create and reinforce muscle memory. Muscle memory creates familiarity.  The more familiarity you gain with the movements, the more comfort you have with learning new material. Practicing should be a process, not a chore.  You gain more from enjoying what you play while you practice.  The people I encountered as adults who "used to play" were largely people who were forced to practice as children and quit, the first chance they got. I'd like to add, they were not largely among those who were returning to music.

So, that being said, practice slowly and make it sound like music.  When you get tired, do something else for a little while and come back to it.  Just make sure you come back. 

Learning music online is a convenient and low pressure way to take music up as a hobby.  But, what if you want to reach a goal?  Well, there are schools listed in the margin to the right of the blog posts.  Click through them to see if any of the programs fit your needs.  This blog is going to go step-by-step, slowly so as not to loose the beginner on the basics.  Have a look now and come back.

BEGIN LEARNING MUSIC AT ANY AGE!

My name is Veronica aka, V. Da'Neesa Monk. I am a singer and multi-instrumentalist. I have studied, performed and toured over the years and this BLOG represents some of what I have to say to other musicians.

Begin learning music now and it's never too late!  I believe this whole heartedly. You can begin from the womb or with one foot in the grave. You just have to put your attention there. In this blog, I will prove to you that anybody can learn music. MASTERY of music or an instrument is another thing, but that is also within your capability once you choose and begin to play.

In this blog, you will find lessons, survival tips, ideas for inspiration and anything else I can think of to help you on your musical quest. Let's converse, share and have fun with music.

I invite you to have a look at the lesson clips I have in this blog series.  They are youtube based, primarily, and  will link you to other lesson clips put up by other people.  I encourage you to learn from as many sources as possible.  I f you have questions or comments, please feel free to put them in the comment section.

I am also a music teacher to children and beginners.  You can contact me about online lessons or lessons in person (group or private).  If you find any of the lessons in this BLOG beneficial, there is a tip jar on the right. Please try the "TIP JAR",  It's fun to surprise someone with a little "Thank You" gift.  I will be gleefully appreciative.

For your convenience, there are online music schools and teachers in the margin on the right.  Have a look at them to get an idea about what your options in music study.

I also invite you to subscirbe to my youtube channel, by clicking YOUTUBE on any of the video clips then clicking subscribe at the top to the youtube page when the clip finishes.

I look forward to our blogs!