Essays on Learning Music

About Practicing Music

"Why practice? What good does it do?" Ash gives a practical definition of practice and explains why it's needed.

Power Practicing

Ash discusses an approach to practice that will definitely get results. You develop good habits by consistent, deliberate attention to details. The right habits give you the twin goals of smoothness and timing.

The Nut And Bolt Of Practicing

Ash zeros in on the mechanics of good practice. Your memory and your metronome are the keys. Learning happens in four stages, and six steps. Continuity and a logical progression allow you to learn as fast as possible.

How To Learn A New Tune on the Banjo

Although Ash addresses banjo players specifically, this is worth a read no matter what your instrument. Some things never change. For banjo players this is "The Nut And Bolt" on steroids.

You'll find some points cropping up over and over.

That's not only because Ash is a redundantly repetitive writer. It's because those points are the critical ones. You'll only get tired of hearing them if you haven't quite grasped them yet.

So keep reading and listening...