Listening to music is an important part of being a musician that sometimes gets overlooked. Imagine being an author that doesn’t read, or a chef that has never tasted their own food, or maybe a computer engineer that has never seen a computer. Listening to music serves two purposes: providing inspiration and information.
We all know that listening to music for pleasure can be a source of inspiration to anyone who is struggling. As musicians, we likely have felt this way towards music; however, sometimes we stop listening when we are overwhelmed with music-related jobs. If you find yourself in a dark place, listen to what brought you to music in the beginning. Remind yourself why you play your instrument.
In a different light, listening to musicians who are better than you can be inspiring, also. Listening can inform you what you can do better and how to shape your practice. Musicians can easily get in a practice rut and feel like they are not progressing or don’t have any skills to develop. Listening can help these problems.
Becoming an avid listener will help not only your emotional state but help shape your musicianship, too.
After all, if musicians don’t go to concerts, why should we expect people at our performances?
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