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how to practice
It’s Not WHAT … It’s HOW You’re Practicing
Too often, our focus lands on what we are practicing – whether it’s your dulcimer, a sport, a language, or a skill. However, the true essence of mastery lies not just in the act of practicing, but in how that practice is approached and executed. It's a subtle yet profound distinction: it's not what you're practicing; it's how you're practicing that truly matters.
Quality Over Quantity:
Mindless repetition of tunes or exercises does not lead to improvement. The key lies in the quality of pra…
It's Not WHAT You Practice!
It's not WHAT you practice that makes you better ... it's HOW you practice! This statement holds a profound truth when it comes to learning to play your dulcimer. Simply going through the motions of practice without a deliberate and thoughtful approach will yield limited progress.
Practicing with intention and focus is what sets apart exceptional musicians from the rest. It's not enough to mindlessly repeat scales, chords, or tunes without a clear purpose. Instead, effective practice involves…
Can You Make Progress Without Playing?
All too often, our busy lives prevent us from picking up our dulcimer or our hammers, and spending time in practice. I look on practice time as a gift to myself, a reward for being a good girl and getting everything done that needs to be done. But sometimes I get so busy doing the things I ought to do, time runs out before I even get close to playing my instruments.
First of all, if we were face-to-face, you’d probably tell me I need to re-order my priorities. And I know you’d be right. But e…
Go SLOW to Go Fast
Last weekend, I watched the movie “Second Chances,” an uplifting tale of a little girl's physical and emotional reawakening after a car crash claims the life of her father, and leaves her unable to walk without crutches. In the movie, Sunny bonds with a crippled horse, and together they begin to walk, even run, together again.
However, throughout the film, the horse trainer and her coach warned Sunny and another young girl about the importance of warming up their horses, starting them out slowl…
Training Your Auto-Pilot
Don't practice until you get it right! Practice until your auto-pilot takes over and you can't get it wrong. - Linda Ratcliff
Once we were ALL beginners. And do you remember when you went to a jam session for the very first time? You might have purchased a brand new dulcimer, or maybe you were given a hand-me-down that you cleaned up and polished. Maybe you had a teacher that guided you through some basics and…
You Are What You Practice
The effort you put into your practice time will either advance your skills quickly, or drag you down gradually. - Linda Ratcliff
In a survey taken in May of 2016, 75% of Americans claimed that they are eatin…
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