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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Build a Musical Life - Blog
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Michelle Monette
- May 8
- 3 min
Set Yourself Up For Success
Putting in thousands of hours honing our craft is essential for becoming the musicians and artists we aspire to be. Unfortunately, there...
Michelle Monette
- May 1
- 2 min
The Best Routine
When it comes to finding a music routine, there are a variety of options for us to choose from. Whether from books, articles, videos, or...
Michelle Monette
- Apr 23
- 2 min
Focus on Fundamentals
“Fundamentals will save your [butt] every day, and twice on Sundays.” Bob Reynolds With the proliferation of videos and online courses...
Michelle Monette
- Apr 2
- 2 min
A Broader Perspective on Practice
“Any significant change requires significant practice.” - Brad Stulberg All musicians know how important practicing is to our craft, but...
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
- Feb 19
- 2 min
Work and Time
In the world of music, a variety of factors will dictate how much, and how quickly, we improve. This can include what we focus on, the...
Michelle Monette
- Feb 13
- 2 min
Focus on the Process, Not on the Prize
"It doesn't make sense to continue wanting something if you're not willing to do what it takes to get it. If you don't want to live the...
Michelle Monette
- Feb 6
- 2 min
Look for Progress, Not Perfection
“Practice makes perfect” is a ubiquitous phrase in the world of music. Whether we hear it from our teachers, our musical heroes, or our...
Michelle Monette
- Jan 29
- 2 min
Give Yourself Fewer Choices
One of the key characteristics of music is the wide variety of potential areas to focus on. There are multiple instruments to learn, many...
Michelle Monette
- Jan 23
- 2 min
The Bright Side of Confusion
A substantial part of any musical journey is the quest for understanding. We recognize how beneficial music comprehension will be for us,...
Michelle Monette
- Jan 9
- 2 min
Leading and Lagging Indicators
“Nothing comes from nowhere. Not success. Not inspiration. Not the muses. Not writer’s block. Everything is a lagging indicator. Of...
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 13, 2022
- 2 min
Larks and Owls
Since we are all limited in how much time we have to spend on music, it becomes vital to optimize our musical lives so we are as...
Michelle Monette
- Oct 30, 2022
- 2 min
Closing the Knowing-Doing Gap
Information is more abundant and easier to access than at any other time in history. Invaluable resources like websites, books, videos,...
Michelle Monette
- Oct 2, 2022
- 2 min
The Joys of Discipline
Jeff Goldblum was the featured guest on an episode of Gregory Porter’s podcast a few years ago. Though best known for his acting,...
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
- Jul 13, 2022
- 1 min
Dancing With Difficulty
Every musician knows how challenging the art and craft of music can be. Learning and practicing something new will stretch you, often...
Michelle Monette
- May 11, 2022
- 2 min
Less But Better
I have long said my interest in pursuing so many musical endeavors has been both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I derive great...
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