This is a topic that many of my piano teacher colleagues might disagree. Some teachers believe that mastering technique is a prerequisite for playing any level of repertoire. I have a different opinion about the importance or at least the prioritization of technique, and explain why in this episode.

Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.

Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit

If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

Composing music is something that you can practice and improve in the same way you can with your instrument. In this episode, Dr. Tony Steve and I chat about music composition as a craft, the idea of compositional templates, the importance of limitations, mastering idioms, counterpoint, and how you can use exercises to improve.

Follow Tony at https://www.facebook.com/tonystevepercussionist

Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.

Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit

If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

Good practice isn't aimless, but involves a plan. This episode talks about how you can analyze your music before you begin practicing so that you can be most efficient in your learning.

Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.

Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit

If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

We've recently discussed the importance of quarterly goals, but are those goals feeding into a longer term vision? How do you see yourself as a musician in 5 years, and how do you get there from here? This episode offers some prompts to help build your long term musical goals, and how this connects to your shorter term goals.

Episode mentioned: https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit/episode/7300027b/what-i-got-wrong-about-quarterly-goals

Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.

Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit

If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

For more than 30 years, Doug Minerd has found a place to use and further develop his skills in composing and arranging, lead rehearsals, and unlike a lot of similar musicians...engage with a wide variety of people in collaboration. He's done this while working up to the executive office at places like Cedar Point, Busch Gardens, Sesame Place, and Sea World. He also has had his compositions performed in Dollywood, Silver Dollar City, Hersey Park, Princess Cruise Lines, and more. He shares both the musical tools and the attitude that led to such a successful career.

Find out more about Doug and listen to his music at: https://www.minerdmusicworks.com/

Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.

Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit

If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

As one of many thousands of users of Finale, I was floored by the news last year that they were no longer continuing their legendary notation software. I've chosen to begin learning Dorico. It's slow going, but I wanted to share my experiences so far as a beginner, and what I'd recommend to get the most out of the program.

Also check out the previous episode on music notation programs: Music Notation Apps in a Post-Finale World (with Jason Loffredo)

Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.

Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit

If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

After nearly a year, this podcast returns to the four core performance skills. These are the skills that will equip you as a performer for absolutely any situation. This episode shares how you can combine 2 or 3 at once into your practice time.

If you missed it, check out the previous episodes in this series:

The Four Core Skills Part 1: An Overview of the Skills

The Four Core Skills Part 2: Sight Reading

The Four Core Skills Part 3: Playing by Ear

The Four Core Skills Part 4: Transposing

The Four Core Skills, Part 5: Improvisation

Four Core Skills for Beginning Students

Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.

Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit

If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

Whether you find the thought of playing in front of people to be paralyzing or if you just get nervous when someone else is listening and don't play as well as you think you should, this episode is for you! Dr. Michelle Wachter, a piano teacher and executive director of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, shares her 3 stage strategy for how to understand your natural performance energy and turn it into an advantage!

Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.

Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit

If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit

You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1