Staying in the game: The best practices, attitudes, metacognitive strategies, and intrinsic motivations of aging musicians
  • Home
  • Contact
  • About the Author

LIVE In THE SPOTLIGHT

Tweets by @davidstory1

Who are your favorite musicians and why?

1/16/2021

0 Comments

 
Lessons from a Master teacher
Picture
Benny Greb has some true insights into learning. Try this out. 
​
1. Quickly name your favorite musicians of your instrument.
2. Now note what you admire about each of them.
3. Now consider your top 3 choices.
4. Now rate yourself 1 to 10 on your skill with the qualities you admire in their playing. Do not give yourself a 5.
5. Now when you practice, practice those to improve those qualities.
6. Buy his book.
​
​David Story

Effective Practicing For Musicians By Benny Greb Book Review
0 Comments

The Role Of Desire In Motivation

11/22/2020

0 Comments

 
"Without desire, there is nothing to work with"
So much proverbial ink has been spilled on the topic of motivation and motivating the unmotivated.
  • intrinsic motivation: from within
  • extrinsic motivation: from without
  • compulsion: at the point of a gun, a subset of extrinsic motivation. Recall Hollywood drill sergeants 

​"Intrinsic motivation is motivation that is animated by personal enjoyment, interest, or pleasure. As Deci et al. (1999) observe, “intrinsic motivation energizes and sustains activities through the spontaneous satisfactions inherent in effective volitional action."

Author: Emily R Lai
Cited by: 83
Publish Year: 2011

This is an interesting article for all musicians and teachers. Some of the research driven theories covered include the role self-belief or " self-efficacy plays in success. Self-efficacy is the “judgments of how well one can execute courses of action required to deal with prospective situations”.

And, the role of the desire to achieve an end for it's own reasons and the desire to impress, or draw favorable attention to one's self.  As stated in the article, "mastery goals" or "performance goals". Intrinsic and extrinsic.

Regardless of the type of or nobility of the the desire, the strength of the desire leads to action or "volition".  In other words getting off one's butt and moving forward in the belief it is possible.

​David
 





0 Comments

Stepping tentatively into the future

6/7/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
 Three months of reflection during isolation has yielded valuable insights. 
  1. I understand what I value as a musician.
  2. I understand whose company I treasure and whose I do not.
  3. I understand my value in the musical marketplace.

I am sure you have gone through a similar experience.

So, I am still practicing. I also have sought out younger musicians to learn from as well. I am working out safe jamming practices/spaces for piano and guitar trios to meet.

The cinematic noise trio Fade/Dissolve will continue to produce work and post it online. Our newest work drops soon.

I will be taking a live online class in adult education next month. I am reading, creating, dreaming, and scheming.

It is going to be ok, but it is going to be different.

What's the coolest thing that could happen to your musical life in the next five years? I've answered this question, have you?

Stay well.

David
0 Comments

Entering 5th week of captivity: Staying positive

4/13/2020

0 Comments

 
Fifth week, wow. An unknown number of weeks to go. Let's stay busy with positive activities. 
  1. Rest
  2. Exercise
  3. Practice
  4. Eat well
  5. Keep up our network by virtual networks
  6. Plan for the future
  7. Reconnect with your spouse
  8. Enjoy Netflix

This will end.

​David
0 Comments

Planning the next decade

12/7/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
  1.  1st goal is to be here in 10 years. 
  2. 2nd goal? Be happily married.
  3. 3rd goal? Study and practice with the most effective coaches I can find in drumming and piano.
  4.  4th goal? That in four more years I start cutting back one day a week, until I'm down to 3 days a week of teaching. About 20 hours. Financial impendence is arriving soon. 
What is your ten year plan?

David

0 Comments

Starting from scratch at 70

11/21/2016

0 Comments

 
She takes up the drums and 70, now 72 she plays in two jazz bands. Go girl! Proof below.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/more-older-adults-learn-its-never-too-late-to-pick-up-a-musical-instrument/2016/11/10/628857ec-a570-11e6-8fc0-7be8f848c492_story.html

Benefits:

"Research shows that music stimulates the brain and enhances memory in older people. In one study, adults aged 60 to 85 without previous musical experience showed improved verbal fluency and processing speed after a few months of weekly piano lessons." Jennifer Bugos, assistant professor of music education at the University of South Florida 

I say imagine what it does for those who keep playing throughout their lives.

Cheers,

​David

0 Comments

Practicing in our mature years

11/12/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Goals and Pacing are what counts.

Goals: Having a clear idea of what is most important at any given time is the key to not wasting our precious time and energies. We need goals in a couple of areas.
  1. Immediate practice goals to be ready for our next performance
  2. Intermediate practice goals to keep ourselves in top musical shape technically
  3. Ongoing goals to maintain our repertoire
  4. Goals to grow musically, even as our bodies slow down
Growth can continue until we decide not to. There are always ways to stay excited and motivated. See some of the other previous posts for more.

Pacing: Spaced repetition
  1. Preserves energy
  2. Maximizes retention
  3. Saves time
The following "Guardian" article explains that "Using spaced repetition as a study technique is effective because you are deliberately hacking the way your brain works"

It also works as a practice tactic. 

Final thought: "What is the one thing that would make the biggest difference in your musical competency? This is your highest value activity? 
  • Phrasing
  • Comping
  • Time
  • Tuning
  • Sight reading
  • Repertoire depth
Here our mine.
  1. Piano, mastering the Royal Conservatory of Music piano repertoire books. Why? This will keep my piano skills in top shape. Secondly, it will add real value to my lessons.
  2. Drums, mastering and refining my time sense. As Terry Clarke says, "it's all about time". Feel comes from time. No time, no feel, no groove, no gigs.
Cheers,

David Story

My next performance is Sunday November 27 2016 in Toronto Ontario New Music and Dance. Details: http://luminousgestures.weebly.com/ 



0 Comments

    Author

    David Story: Professional pianist, drummer, composer, and educator. Well into his 5th enthusiastic musical decade, David works with adults pursuing musical dreams in the autumn of life, while he maintains an active presence in the Toronto arts scene.

    Categories

    All
    Attitude Adjustment
    Covid 19 Avoidance
    Covid-19 Avoidance
    FADE/DISSOLVE: Cinematic Noise Trio
    Fitness After Age 60
    Goal Setting For Seniors
    Great Music Teachers
    Healthy Aging
    Marketing
    Old Dog New Tricks
    Practicing And The "Rage To Master"
    Renewal After 60
    Reviews
    Stories
    Surviving Covid 19
    Time Management

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Contact
  • About the Author