I’m sure many of you can agree that musicians do not have the best time management! In the past, when I was preparing for an upcoming gig, music practice was always a last-minute affair at my bandmate's house. I would frantically run around his tiny flat, sweating and panicking the day before the show. Desperately scrawling through our songbook looking for ideas was, unfortunately, an all-too-common sight.
So, I decided it was time to break this stressful cycle before all of my hair falls out. With two weeks before the big day, I hoped that the practice tracking feature in the new Core 2 would help make this the best show yet!
The initial hurdle that the Core 2 helped us overcome was scheduling time for music practice together. We often get so caught up in our actual jobs that finding time to practice with multiple people becomes difficult. I also struggle with self-motivation, so committing to practice three times a week was perfect.
Main benefits of the practice tracking feature:
The Core 2 provided friendly reminders on specific days we pre-agreed upon. We even earned cool streaks when we reached our goals! I could set specific tasks for each practice session, like mastering the outro to a particular song. We could also review the hours spent practicing and pause the timer when we were procrastinating. The act of pausing alone can keep you focused, as it forces you to acknowledge the time spent procrastinating.
Don’t get me wrong; I believe that daydreaming and procrastination are essential for generating new ideas. That sense of fun and play should always be factored in. However, this was crunch time, and we didn’t have eons before the gig. It reminded me of techniques athletes use on Strava, especially since we could share our music practice time and results on social media.
The day of the gig:
The big day came and went, and we didn’t embarrass ourselves in front of everyone. We didn’t have to change passports and start a new life in the Arctic like last time. Just kidding! The Core 2 really helped us organize our time and stay motivated. While we didn’t make all the allotted time slots, hey — we’re human!
Knowing that I was well-practiced and relying mostly on muscle memory allowed me to delve deeper into the emotions of the music I was trying to convey, rather than worrying about where my fingers should go. This was something I hadn’t been able to do in previous performances.
About Soundbrenner
We're on a mission to make music practice addictive. Our products are the ultimate companion for every practice session. And they're made for you. We serve all musicians, across all instruments and from beginners to professionals. Click here to learn more.
Do you have a question about Soundbrenner or our products? Contact us, we'd love to hear from you!
Read this next
