Resolution Time!

As I am sure you are aware, today is the day you are supposed to have your resolutions ready. Set your goals for the new year, and work as hard as you can to make them happen past February.

Most people have a hard time either setting realistic goals, or following through with them. I find that the easiest thing to do is actually to make a sliding scale for your resolution. Start slow and small, and work up from there.

I mean, most athletes don't start setting records on their first day on the course/track/field/court/pitch/arena/ring/rink right?

Here are some ideas, if like me you are a procrastinator, for resolutions that can help you become a better musician:

• Learn a new piece of music.
  This doesn't have to be anything super hard. Find something you have never played before, and learn to play it! Take it so, play small sections, do what you need to learn a new piece, just for yourself! Then, you'll have another thing you can do, and more patterns you can apply to other piece.
  
  
• Play a new instrument.
  
  If you have been playing your current instrument for a while, why not try expanding out to something new? There are many instruments that are somewhat similar and it can be easy (especially with guided practice, say, here at the Sound Board School of Music) to transfer skills from one axe or horn to another. Expanding your understanding of instruments and applying your current knowledge to a different situation WILL make you a better musician overall.
  
  
• Start a band/Supergroup.
  
  We don't have to be Phil Collins to start our own Supergroup. We also don't have to go out and play tons of live performances to be in a band. Find a group of people, maybe your friends, that you like to be around and enjoy making music with, and try to form a small ensemble. Even if you guys never get paid to play, the time you spend playing together will help you interact better musically with other musicians, and it will also help to foster your own musical independence, since in these situations, you are responsible for your own part. Practice, play, and have fun!
  
  
• Teach someone else!
  
  If you have been playing for a while, or are looking for the next big challenge, try teaching someone else to play! It is fun and rewarding to help younger musicians improve in their playing, and it will force you to become a better musician by honing the skills you are trying to teach someone else.
  
  The most important things are to play more than you talk, and break every concept down to as few words as possible. Take it from someone who teaches a lot of folks a lot of different instruments, brevity is key to helping musicians improve!
  
  
• Volunteer to play for a group of people.
  
  There are always going to be groups that want or need or would love to hear someone play. Yes, it is fantastically nice to get paid for your work, but sometimes the smile on someone's face can be enough. If you are looking for volunteer work, or just want to make the lives of some people a little brighter, consider taking up regular volunteering to share your talents.
  
  

Don't take these suggestions as the only things you can do to resolve to be a better musician this next year, find something that fits with what time, ability, or desires you have as a musician. The most important thing is to play more, and realize that it is never too late to learn!

Have a Happy New Year!