Don’t start playing until you are ready: both mentally and physically set to commence.
Too often, younger players try to begin playing before they are actually “set” to begin, resulting in poor entrances, missed rhythms and notes, and an array of other inaccuracies that otherwise might not occur if they simply take a moment to prepare. Think of an MLB pitcher going into his windup before actually throwing the ball, or the batter preparing before stepping into the box to receive a 98-MPH fastball, or the Olympic gymnast before the final segment of their floor routine. Musicians are no different in this respect. If students develop a habit of preparation before execution, the musicianship should improve.
Todd L. Hunter
Marywood University, Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
