Dear readers, just some questions for today. The possible answers may or may not be yours or mine…..
WHY do we practice? So that we can play better….
Why do we want to play better? Because we sense there is more in this music, possibilities we haven’t uncovered or mastered yet.
Why do we practice? Because it’s fun!
Why is it fun? Because the sounds are interesting and beautiful; because there is so much to engage our minds, our imaginations, our hearts, our bodies. Because it feels good to do something with our own two hands. Why does that feel good? Because we’re human…..
Why do we practice? Because we have a concert coming up, or a gig. Is that practicing different? There is a deadline, maybe, and some stress or pressure attached. Is it still fun? Why or why not? Is it fun, for all the same reasons it’s fun when we don’t have a performance coming up? Is it fun because of the performance coming up? Is it fun in spite of the performance coming up? Is it no longer fun because of the performance coming up? Why are we giving the performance?
Why do we practice? To distract ourselves, or to escape from other parts of our lives. Why do we want that? —wait, sorry, wrong newsletter (or is it?)… But we can ask: is our practicing working, for that?
Why do we practice? Because we want to feel that we are learning, growing, gaining new skills… Why do we want that? Is our practicing working, for that? How could it work better?
Why do we practice? Because we’ve just always practiced, and we don’t question it. Maybe because we think we should. Whose voice says that? Do we want to listen to it? Would we still practice, if we didn’t have that thought? Why or why not?
Why do we practice? We need to, because even if we don’t enjoy it, we know that we can’t learn pieces or improve our skills without it. Why do we want to learn pieces or improve our skills?
Why do we practice? Because it’s something we can do at home, alone, in blissful solitude…. And/or because it’s something that enables us to play music together with others, in intimate collaboration….
Why do we practice? Because we want to create something…. To express something…. Because there is something in us that wants to come out. What is that something? What do we know about it?
Why do we practice? Because we really love this music that we are practicing, or this kind of music, or this composer’s music. Because just listening to it is somehow not enough… Because playing this music ourselves brings us ever closer to it….
Why do we practice? To impress someone, to prove something…. To whom do we want to prove something? Why do we want that? Is our practicing working, for that? If we didn’t want that, would we still want to practice?
Whose practicing is it?
Why do we practice? To pass the time… To stay out of trouble…. Is it working?
Why do we practice? To develop specific, particular skills. What are those? What will we get from them, once we have them? What kinds of practices are we using? Are they working?
Why do we practice? To keep up our chops. Is it working? What exactly are our chops? What do we want from them? What does it take to maintain them?
Why do we practice? Because we want to know what we don’t yet know, do what we can’t yet do. New frontiers! Why do we want those things? Is our practicing working, for that?
Why do we practice? To give our minds something to work with, to stay sharp, to “use it or lose it”….
Why do we practice? To be present, to hold our attention to something endlessly absorbing….
Why do we practice? To connect with the divine (but first, those scales….)
Why do we practice? Well, WHY NOT practice? Why on earth wouldn’t we practice? Tell me that!
Why practice? Just because! Why ask why?
What would it be like if we didn’t practice? There would be a hole…. A practicing-shaped hole (oh, what a rich, deep, complex and multi-faceted hole that is!)…. What would we fill it with? Only one thing would fit…. Do we want to fill that hole?
Why do you practice?
Thanks for reading Pride & Practicing, and if you enjoy it, please share it with your friends!
Beautiful! Good questions, so many answers.... xo