Hi,

A friend of mine helped out at a one week residential school for young orchestral musicians recently. While there he noticed that as the week progressed several of the participants showed dramatic improvement in their playing ability. He mentioned this to the course director who told him that this was common. He said it was all down to intangibles that he could only guess at: the environment, competitive spirit, mutual support, no outside distractions etc.

Can anyone mention any factor, apart from practice, that has helped them to advance their playing ability?

Paul.

To play together with others with an open mind is crucial.
Play at jam sessions without bothering about mistakes
Try to get the opportunity to play together with great musicians and learn
When listening to others, don't copy, but analyse their playing
Remember only the good stuff you played, and find out why it was so good
Don't play on cheapo stuff; you don't need very expensive gear, but quality is important

Playing with musicians who were MUCH better than me. That was huge. Also, playing with as many people as possible in almost any genre I could.

Also, playing with as many people as possible in almost any genre I could.

that's the one I forgot

For me, it's just listening and absorbing music.
I'll turn the lights off, lay on my bed, light a cigarette, turn up some music, close me eyes, and just listen while I feel it pulse through me.
It sounds cheesy, but I'd swear by it.

For me, it's just listening and absorbing music.
I'll turn the lights off, lay on my bed, light a cigarette, turn up some music, close me eyes, and just listen while I feel it pulse through me.
It sounds cheesy, but I'd swear by it.


Fall asleep, let the burning cigarette fall on the mattress, burn the house down. Good advice dude. :bassist:

Fall asleep, let the burning cigarette fall on the mattress, burn the house down. Good advice dude. :bassist:

If you can't lay down without falling asleep, then you must have narcolepsy.
It's not that hard to not fall asleep, especially when you're aware that you have a lit cigarette.
I've never fallen asleep and dropped a cigarette...ever.
If I can do it, anybody can.

Lighten up dude, it was a joke.

I didn't mean to FLAME you. :hyper: :eek: :eyebrow: :rollno: :D