Simplifying the Songwriting Process
Writing songs is a fun and effective way for musicians to grow and express their artistry. But songwriting can feel...
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Build a Musical Life - Blog
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Michelle Monette
- Jul 15
- 2 min
Three Questions to Ask Yourself For More Effective Practice Sessions
If you are like many musicians, you’ll know engaging in regular practice is no small feat. There are seemingly endless barriers to...
Michelle Monette
- Jul 8
- 6 min
How I Healed My Relationship With Music
Music is my calling, but I spent years deeply unhappy in my musical experience. This is how I healed my relationship with music.
Michelle Monette
- Mar 25
- 2 min
The Three Areas of Musical Development
Learning music can feel overwhelming for aspiring and seasoned musicians alike. The endless array of exercises, information, and songs...
Michelle Monette
- Jan 8
- 2 min
Create Space to Make Music
“In terms of shaping our own future, spaces are key. We need to make sure there are spaces to be free. To be ourselves. Literal spaces,...
Michelle Monette
- Jan 1
- 2 min
Clarity, Intention, Discipline
Conceptually, “Building a Musical Life” is the idea that if music is important to us, it’s worth structuring our lives to support a...
Michelle Monette
- Dec 18, 2023
- 3 min
Why You Might Want to Keep a Music Journal
As musicians, we often like to explore ways to improve how we approach working on music. Whether we want to get more mileage out of our...
Michelle Monette
- Dec 11, 2023
- 4 min
Aim for Excellence Rather Than Perfection
“Perfectionism is a cudgel and a way to hide...Perfectionism is a way to berate others for not meeting imaginary standards. Or berating...
Michelle Monette
- Dec 4, 2023
- 3 min
Cultivating the Courage to Answer Music's Call
“Somewhere inside, we hear a voice… Our voice leads us in the direction of the person we wish to become, but it is up to us whether or...
Michelle Monette
- Nov 27, 2023
- 3 min
Putting Procrastination in Perspective
As musicians, one of the most insidious obstacles we face to working on music is procrastination: the irresistible desire to do anything...
Michelle Monette
- Jul 31, 2023
- 2 min
Day By Day, Drip By Drip
"Well-being is realized by small steps, but is truly no small thing." - Zeno "Just because improvements aren't visible doesn't mean they...
Michelle Monette
- Jul 10, 2023
- 4 min
How to Fine-Tune Feedback
One of the most valuable tools we have for our musical and creative development is feedback—whether received from other people, or...
Michelle Monette
- Jul 3, 2023
- 3 min
Where to Find Feedback
A substantial part of building a musical life is always moving forward and growing as artists and musicians. One of the most important...
Michelle Monette
- Jun 26, 2023
- 3 min
Don't Fear Feedback
“No one likes to be found at fault. In fact, this is what many of us walk around fearing—that we’ll be exposed as imposters, we’ll be put...
Michelle Monette
- Jun 19, 2023
- 3 min
You Can Do It Too
“Not to assume it’s impossible because you find it hard. But to recognize that if it’s humanly possible, you can do it too.” - Marcus...
Michelle Monette
- Jun 12, 2023
- 2 min
Make Time for Music
"It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently...
Michelle Monette
- Jun 5, 2023
- 2 min
Musical Support Groups
As we work hard to become the musicians and artists we aspire to be, it can be helpful to have the support of others who are on the same...
Michelle Monette
- May 29, 2023
- 3 min
Direct Learning
“The easiest way to learn directly is to simply spend a lot of time doing the thing you want to become good at.” - Scott Young One of our...
Michelle Monette
- May 22, 2023
- 3 min
Digital Minimalism for Musicians
With the ubiquity of digital tools like social media and YouTube, it’s easier than ever to share art, ideas, and ourselves with the...
Michelle Monette
- May 15, 2023
- 2 min
Musical Seasons
When designing our musical lives, there are many strategies we can deploy to help us reach our goals and make the most of our time. While...
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