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...
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Build a Musical Life - Blog
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Michelle Monette
- May 15
- 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...
Michelle Monette
- Apr 17
- 2 min
Our Musical Interconnectedness
“Keep reminding yourself of the way things are connected, of their relatedness. All things are implicated in one another and in sympathy...
Michelle Monette
- Apr 9
- 3 min
Don't Worry About What Other Musicians Are Doing
With the accessibility of the internet, it is easier than ever to know exactly what other musicians are doing, playing, and creating. We...
Michelle Monette
- Mar 27
- 3 min
The Role of Productivity in a Musical Life
A large part of being a musician is having lofty goals and ambitions. We might want to be the best player possible on our chosen...
Michelle Monette
- Mar 13
- 2 min
Develop Your Musical Voice
“It’s my failure to sound like my heroes that’s allowed me to sound like myself.” - John Mayer One of the most fulfilling parts of being...
Michelle Monette
- Mar 6
- 2 min
The Musical Life Isn't Only About Music
“Music can’t be everything.” - James Blake, “Meet You In The Maze” When we feel called to pursue music in any way, shape, or form, it’s...
Michelle Monette
- Feb 27
- 2 min
The Best Time to Start
“The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today. You are arranging what is in Fortune's control...
Michelle Monette
- Jan 2
- 2 min
Look For the Ingredients
When constructing our musical lives and identities, we often draw inspiration from our favourite musicians. Whether we resonate with the...
Michelle Monette
- Dec 27, 2022
- 2 min
Reflect and Redirect
Deliberate planning is essential to building our ideal musical life. We want to be clear about what we’re aiming for, and have a concrete...
Michelle Monette
- Dec 19, 2022
- 2 min
Practice Self-Compassion
"What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself." - Hecato quoted in Seneca's Letters from a Stoic...
Michelle Monette
- Dec 11, 2022
- 2 min
We Are All Built to Make Music
Music is a widely appreciated artform, and an important feature in many of our daily lives. It can connect people to themselves and...
Michelle Monette
- Dec 5, 2022
- 2 min
Play the Long Game
"Nearly everything awesome takes longer than you think. Get started and don't worry about the clock." - James Clear Getting good at music...
Michelle Monette
- Nov 21, 2022
- 2 min
Regain Your Rhythm
“When jarred, unavoidably, by circumstances, revert at once to yourself, and don’t lose the rhythm more than you can help. You’ll have a...
Michelle Monette
- Nov 6, 2022
- 2 min
Persist and Persevere
As musicians, we are required to constantly overcome challenges. We face those related directly to our music, like working through a...
Michelle Monette
- Oct 24, 2022
- 2 min
Do As You Say
“[T]here are many occasions when words are useless, and only deeds will make a man’s meaning plain; often enough, too, it is easy to...
Michelle Monette
- Oct 17, 2022
- 2 min
Do You Know Your "Why"?
Throughout my years of teaching music, I often felt an expectation from some of my students: That I should convince them of why they...
Michelle Monette
- Sep 25, 2022
- 2 min
Work Hard, Rest Hard
Seasoned musicians understand the value of hard work. We spend years in the practice room diligently refining our craft by drilling...
Michelle Monette
- Jun 22, 2022
- 2 min
Tradeoffs
Tradeoffs are an essential part of building a musical life. Being a musician requires a lot of time, focus, and effort, which means...
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