Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29955 in Books
• Published on: 1999-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Synopsis
The Art of Practicing offers practical techniques for cultivating free and natural movement and a keen enjoyment of sounds and sensations. The author addresses common problems such as impatience, distraction, anger and stage fright.'

Customer Reviews

Should be required reading for anyone learning music!
Madeline's indepth observations of the human experience in learning the art of music are unparalleled. She keenly and with pinpointed accuracy shares with the reader what he will face in the process of learning music. And, more importantly, she presents insight on possible ways to deal with and overcome those trying times. As an adult student with only one year of piano behind me, I wish I had read this book earlier. I definitely would have learned to be more patient with myself or at least would have been more understanding of what was happening to me in the process of learning. In any case, I have a brand new and refreshing approach to my continued learning process now. Thank you very, very much.

This book gave me a fresh perspective on practicing.
For a while, I was in an uninspired musical slump. I still practiced, but it wasn't fun anymore, and as a result, the time I spent wasn't very effective. This book gave me many ways to freshen up my practice sessions and make them more enjoyable and more productive. It is very easy to read, and one afternoon spent with it can make a world of difference for your music-making.

Any musician should read this book first
I greatly regret that I should have read this book long long years ago ! I have seen many music students teachers who completely lack the most important things that the book describes. And I think that any musican-want-to-be should read this book first. This is the "Road Less Travelled" equivalent in psycology of musical practicing and performance. Her explanations were inspiring. Very often they were too conceptual. OK. That sounds very nice, but what is it exactly, and how do we achieve it ? Fortunately, at the end of each chapter, there is a section called "Questions and Answers". I think that the questions are from her students. And the questions were more "practical" ones rather than conceptual. And answers were very good. She provides 10 steps (suggestions) for practicing. Most of them are quite reasonable. Some of them may not be applied to me. However, it may be because I am still musically immature (far from her level) comparing with her.