I am Thankful for my Violin

...Or how to practice when you are sad. Or angry. Or just generally not feeling it.

For me at least, it's hard to look at, let alone pick up and play, my violin when I am anything other than ecstatic, focused, and ready to work. The problem is, if that goes on long enough, you end up really really... rusty. Your bow feels heavy in your arm, your violin isn't setting on your shoulder the right way, the strings feel tight, and your left hand doesn't seem to remember what to do. Trust me, I have been there. And recently- with a major life change, including moving to a new house, and the recent events in my city, it's been hard to feel ready to make music.

But as musicians, it's our responsibility. Leonard Bernstein put it best: "This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before."

So how do you do it?

1. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. The act of playing in and of itself is a victory. Celebrate that!
2. STILL start with your scales. Don't pick B-flat major. Or minors. Just the easy stuff- D Major, G Major, C Major. Things you know. Things you don't have to think about too much. It's ok to zone out a little. When you're ready, think about your posture and intonation. If you normally do 3 octaves, play 2. If you are having a hard time, play 1. Just play. Get warmed up.
3. Pick a favorite piece. One that you love to play and can play well. Play it. Or at least the parts you know. Play it once. Or twice. As much as you feel- that's the key. I like Wolfhart's Book 1. Sometimes I go straight through. Sometimes I skip around. The key is to pick something that will keep you mentally engaged without overworking your brain.
4. Pick another. Go with your gut. What do you feel like doing next? Is it in the same book? Or a loose sheet. (Side note: don't worry about cleaning up your space. I generally just throw music on the floor as I go and end up with piles and stacks in all directions. It's ok to clean up at the end.) Keep going! Think about how you are feeling a what piece will help get that out. Need to work out frustration? Energy to burn? I recommend Vivaldi Concerto in G.
5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4. Sometimes 20 minutes is good. Sometimes an hour or two will pass. The point is that you're enjoying music and maintaining the mechanics without over-working your brain and without mentally overdoing it by really working on a required piece.

I have never been sad after I finished playing. I have never regretted the time that I have spent playing. Playing the violin, no matter the circumstances, has always uplifted me.

​Happy playing!