I Am Never Going to Get This Done!

Tonight, I had the most frustrating experience of any musician... Practicus Interrupticus! It's frustrating enough on its own, but when it's the day before your lesson, it's absolutely infuriating! I'd been working on my Schroeder exercise #6 (which I abhor anyway... it sucks. Admit it, you're thinking it...) because even though I detest scalar etudes, and think they're the requisite demon spawn of the musical instrument success, they're necessary. Scales, as much as we love to hate them, are necessary. And being able to hear them is even more necessary.

Blech....

Where was I? Oh, yes... So I was practicing my Schroeder #6, and in comes my younger daughter, the saxophonist/bassoonist, doing her chores and mopping the floor as she does daily... and bumping into my foot, my stand, my endpin, on purpose. She's playing with me, which is okay for a minute, but then she presses on. I give her "the look." Come on, you guys know the one. The look that says, "I am not in the mood, please stop... now." She stops for a moment, then does it one last time. I take my bow and start poking at her, and she starts giggling. "Do I come up and pester you when you're practicing?" I ask her. "No, mom." "Alright, then I need you to stop. I haven't gotten in any practice time today." "Okay, sorry." I return to attempting to slaughter my scales, but I keep hitting this one spot and messing up. Ugh...

So then my husband comes down from work, and starts antagonizing my daughter while she's finishing her mopping. She starts giggling. He starts making kung-fu noises off to my left.... I stop. They stop... for a moment. "I think we're interrupting mommy's practice," he says. Ya think? I say in my head... or not in my head, I don't recall. I go back to the beginning of my exercise, and once again trip on the same spot, way out of pitch, and my bow squawks. *sigh* They begin to slap around again (resume kung-fu noises here...). Stand up, put the cello back in his stand, loosen bow hair, hang the bow on the back... rip spouse new one. Check. Spouse apologizes. Check.

Needless to say, by this point, I was so wound up from being interrupted, that I gave up on practice for the rest of the evening. So what's the point I'm making here?

It is in YOUR best interests to make sure you have a dedicated place to practice and NOT get interrupted. While I love my family and I know they're supportive, at times, even they'll lose their minds and unintentionally interrupt my practice sessions. Having uninterrupted practice time gives you the opportunity to really focus on your playing without distractions from pets (okay, maybe not the dog whining at the door...), children, and visitors, allowing you to maximize your time and make faster, steadier progress.

Obviously, a quiet place is a must. A closed off room with a door is going to be your best bet, but this may not always be available. Some people buy a shed and install a portable heat and air conditioning unit. Some lucky folks can even build an addition to their home with a practice room. Some people get a silent cello and practice with headphones. As long as it is clear to those who live with you that you're in your practice space and should not be interrupted, you're in good shape. Even if you don't have a dedicated room or space, set aside a corner where you're not going to have people passing through frequently, television noise, phones ringing... set up a mental practice haven to really ensure that you're going to be able to get all the practice time you need to make solid, steady progress.

I love my family, and they love giving me support when I practice. This is so important in your musical life. Support can often make the difference on whether or not you succeed. But, support is also only half the battle! You need to have a dedicated practice area, possibly a dedicated practice time, too. Your best bet is to at least have a practice routine in place. Have a plan when you go in of how much time you want to spend on what parts of your playing. But above all, make sure you ENJOY your practice time... because if not, you'll never get anything done!

Happy Cello'ing! #celloislife