Labyrinth Music Blog
Meditations on Learning and Loving Music
Why you should ask for help
Perfectionists have a really hard time getting the help they need and deserve, because they resist asking for it, and they’re reluctant to accept help when it’s offered.
How to fight the post-performance blues
Part of getting ready for a performance is preparing for how you’ll feel after it’s over. Almost every performer gets some type of emotional whiplash after performing. Fortunately, it’s something you can prepare for and manage!
Embracing Failure
Fear of failure is a universal human experience. Part of my job as a music teacher is to arm my students to battle this fear, because failing is a necessary stage of every achievement.
Don't let other people determine your limits
Are some people too un-talented to make music? No! No matter what you’ve been told, you don’t lack the capacity to learn to sing or play an instrument. Yet so many of us believe we are incapable of becoming musicians...
The importance of doing a bad job
Almost no one likes being a beginner. It’s especially embarrassing if you’re at all perfectionistic. When you can’t seem to get started, make the process the goal. (Featuring a peek into my writing method.)
Signs you should let your kid quit lessons
Ever ask yourself, “Is this a sign that my kid should quit music lessons?” Let me answer that question for you.
The Musician’s Two Modes
There are two mental modes every musician can use: Learning Mode, and Expression Mode. The best musicians can easily access either mode and use both modes equally to learn music effectively and perform joyfully. How can you be like them?
You don’t need musical talent
Music doesn’t come from some mystical source called "talent" - it can be learned, and it can be learned by anybody. Being talented, or the idea of being talented, can actually get in your way!
Difficult student, don’t change
Do “difficult” students resist instruction just to be difficult, or are they responding to their own feelings? Here’s why I’d rather let my piano students learn more slowly than teach them to ignore how they feel.
Singers aren’t real musicians?
It's a myth, but why do people believe it? And what should voice teachers do about it?
Do I HAVE to practice?
I have a short answer to this frequently-asked question, and a medium-length answer, and a long answer. Find out what good practicing looks and feels like, and how it helps you make progress.