Many times, especially for beginners, the music doesn’t always sound very….musical. While the right notes and rhythms may be there, something is missing. Usually it’s the overall feeling or musicality of what is being played.
Back when I started learning piano, as well as the trumpet, I remember clearly how non musical my sound was….especially the trumpet! By that point, I had been playing the piano for 6 years, knew a good bit about music….but the trumpet was quite different. For a wind instrument, it takes getting adjusted to and used to making the air work to make the sound happen. And so, my sounds were quite disjointed and separated. But….as I practiced and became more experienced as a trumpet player, my sounds became more linear and musical!
So to the question of the title of this post. How do you incorporate musicality into your practice routine? To me, the first step is intentionality. Making sure you are thinking of the phrasing, the dynamics, and all of the musical details that bring what you are playing to life. Making notes in your music is a HUGE help! So often, I see pristine, unmarked music. And it needs to have notes. Not be completely marked up with pencil, but definitely having some assistance to remind you of the details needed to make what you’re doing be as musical as it can be.
Another overlooked opportunity to incorporate musicality in your practicing is to record yourself! One thing that happens when we’re playing music is that we’re not always honed in on the details while we’re playing. Music is complex, and takes a lot of focus and brainpower to make happen. If you record yourself and return to it while following along in your music and analyzing yourself, you will find areas that are going well, and other areas that may need more improvement.
A third thing that I’ve found helpful in incorporating musicality in your practicing is to get feedback from others. My mother would always make me practice while she did the dishes, as we did not have a dishwasher in our house. I believe that she took her time, double rinsed the dishes to make sure that they were extremely clean….and to make me practice longer! Something I’m quite thankful for now…but now at the time! But she would give me feedback on my playing. She only took piano lessons until the 2nd grade (which is why she wouldn’t let me quit!), but she knew music and knew what the songs were supposed to sound like. In my studio, I use a resource called Muzie, and on it, I can upload audio and video demos of the songs, which give an opportunity for students and parents to have comparisons. Having that external feedback from others can be extremely helpful.
So, get to practicing. Make it musical. Make notes in your music. Record yourself. Get feedback from others. Keep it up and over time, you’ll see improvement!