Five Lessons that Teaching Music Taught Me About Success

This post is by Bradford Werner of Classical Guitar Canada.

I teach classical guitar at the Victoria Conservatory of Music in Victoria British Columbia, Canada. I teach about 25 one-on-one students, give lectures on occasion, and coach a few ensembles as well.

One thing I love about teaching is making the study of music a positive experience where learning is exciting, and there is no need to build motivation or discipline because it develops on its own. I think the tenets of this philosophy can be applied with success in other areas of our lives. Let me explain.

1. Just keep practicing

My students have taught me a lot about the importance of routine and consistency. They show up to lessons every week and practice on average 45 minutes to one hour each day. After a year of lessons, they are good little classical guitarists—they’re happy, I’m happy, their parents are happy. All they had to do was practice regularly. They didn’t doubt themselves in their practice sessions because practicing is like brushing their teeth—they just do it every day.

Some of the greatest people in history weren’t the smartest ones or the most talented—they were people who simply did whatever they set out to do. While the rest of us were watching six hours of Star Trek episodes, those guys were out there practicing.

Sometimes when I’m facing challenges in life, I like to think of my students. If I’m being negative or feeling self-doubt I just remember that if I simply do the work I’ll end up with something to show for it.

One of my best students didn’t start as the most promising. When the student came to me she was young, relatively untrained, and rather unfocused too. She joked about in lessons quite a bit and I wasn’t sure she was suited to one-on-one training of the classical kind. But guess what? She stuck with the lessons and so did I. She is now an amazing student and becoming an independent, head-strong musician who practices more than I’d ever ask

In Scott Tenant’s book on classical guitar technique, humorously called Pumping Nylon, he quotes Yoda from Star Wars who sums up the point: “Do or do not, there is no try.”

2. Make your work positive

Youth and adult students often come to the first lesson with fear, insecurity, and a lack of motivation. However, as we get into the groove of weekly lessons, the successful students always find ways to make the grind of practicing enjoyable.

Reward yourself well when you practice or work. It’s not all about self-discipline. Make your practice sessions into something special. I usually treat myself to a gourmet coffee, which I get to drink when I actually sit down to practice. Others might take the time to get away from everyone and have a bit of quiet time just before practicing. Whatever you do, consider making it a habit that will encourage you to sit down and get to work with a smile, because starting is the hardest part.

Here’s another trick (replace these musical references with your own chosen work or activity): make your practice session positive by working on ultra-small amounts of music, but playing well, and exactly the way you want it to sound. If that means only being able to play one tiny bit at a time, then so be it. Choose your ideal aesthetic and make it happen in your playing.

This is a way to make sure you feel good after every session, and a way for you to know that you’re on the right track. Reach your full potential, if only in small amounts—it will become easier to get through more material at this new high level of quality each time your try it.

3. Collaborate and share

Working with others is like having multiple brains working for you at once. When I play in groups, I get exposed to all sorts of new ideas and fresh perspectives. I often see people wanting to hide their ideas and protect their intellectual activity but they slowly become closed-off and secluded. In my teaching studio, the students who play ensemble music are more dynamic, more inspired, have better listening skills, and continue playing for longer periods of time due to the extra stimulation.

I run a website called Classical Guitar Canada, where I post pretty much anything for anyone about their Canadian classical guitar activities. The site makes virtually no money since I don’t run ads. However, by creating a central place to share ideas, I’ve been introduced to nearly all the classical guitar contacts in Canada. I’m now getting invited to adjudicate festivals all over, and it’s been nothing but fun. Plus, all the ideas and interaction really keeps me interested in my profession.

One of the joys of modern technology is that learning tips from others has never been easier. Sometimes, if I need to find a way of making my practice session more efficient, I ask my Facebook friends or the Classical Guitar Canada friends. They always are dying to share their tips and strategies at practicing.

4. Practicing is problem solving

The best students are the ones who don’t repeat their mistakes. That’s one reason why we have teachers. Teachers teach students to learn how to solve problems, and introduce alternative ways of approaching issues based on their own experience.

When I teach students how to practice, I tell them that they must isolate problems and get to solving them right away. Find out what the aesthetic is (the particular sound, style, or ideal) and try accomplishing it in small amounts. Make a list a of your “problems” and tackle them one at a time. If you have a problem either professionally or personally you need to solve it a.s.a.p. or it will waste your precious time again and again.

5. Be efficient and realize your potential

The great classical guitarist John Williams once said that as a child he only practiced 30 minutes a day. John Williams is one of those flawless players whom I would have expected to have been a strung-out child addicted to practice by age five. But instead, he only practiced 30 minutes a day? I can only imagine that during those 30 minutes he used his time ultra-wisely. I tell my students that you don’t have to practice very much, but you do have to practice very well.

After a student recital last year, I complimented one of my young students on how well they played. It was their first year of playing and first public performance in their life. They were only practicing about 15 minutes a day at the time (now they are up to 45 minutes). They replied to my compliment with, “I didn’t know I could do that!”

My teaching has taught me these tenets of success. What has your experience showed you about learning, improving, and achieving what you want?

Bradford Werner blogs about the classical guitar at Classical Guitar Canada and just started blogging about teaching, life, and the arts on www.bradfordwerner.ca.