Hello KCRB Students and Families!
Let’s talk about FRUSTRATION when learning music. Last week I started working on a drumming technique that I have long wanted to incorporate into my playing. I watched a video lesson taught by a college professor and tried out the exercises he demonstrated…only to become so frustrated I nearly threw my sticks across the room. I watched the video again, tried again….became overwhelmingly frustrated again. I have taught long enough to recognize that in that moment, I was frustrated because I was trying to do something I did not fully understand. I needed a better break down of the technique than I was seeing in the video; I needed some intermediate steps!
I searched a few other videos on the same technique and finally hit upon a teacher that broke the steps down beautifully. It was still hard—this was something new and complicated for me. But the steps had been broken down into more manageable and understandable pieces, so I was able to persevere without an overwhelming amount of frustration setting in.
If you find yourself becoming frustrated when practicing, to the point where you can’t push through, you may need to break the task into much smaller, manageable pieces. Take one bar at a time, one beat at a time! Slow the tempo WAY down until you can have some success. If you don’t understand something, ask your teacher to explain It another way—we are here for you! I also highly recommend practicing in short chunks– 10 minutes practicing, take a short break, then come back and practice again.
Learning anything new will have moments of struggle, disappointment, and frustration, but knowing how to move past those and continue on to greater mastery and success is a life skill we all need. I have watched our students go through this struggle process over and over, and come out stronger on the other side, better able to handle the next challenge that comes their way. And I experience it myself on a regular basis!
If/when you feel frustrated in music, give these ideas a try, and always tell your teacher so we can help. I love talking about the learning process and helping students succeed—please don’t hesitate to contact me!
Laura Lee Crandall
Owner, KC Rock Band & Guitar School of Music
(816)419-8526
Student of the Month – Sam Gordon
Sam has been taking drum lessons with Laura Lee for 2 years, and he took ukulele lessons before that. Sam always comes to lessons with a great attitude, ready to learn and have fun! Here’s a little more about Sam:
How old are you? 10 years old
Why did you choose to learn drum set?
I like Rock a lot.
What’s your favorite song you’ve learned so far?
Bones, by Imagine Dragons
What do you like about playing drums?
It gets my energy out!
What’s your favorite movie?
Star Wars
Any advice for other musicians?
Stay focused!
Way to go, Sam! You’re making great progress!