Tales From The Lane
Living Your Best Life as Creative Artist
Category: Life Hacks
The January Practice Cure
Transform both your practice space and your habits with this Month-long project. Each day you’ll be emailed a small, easy to accomplish task to set you up for a successful year.
Would You Be Better Off Having a Daily Routine? (Yes)
The artists and musicians I know fall into one of two camps. They either have a strict daily routine for when they are going to practice, teach, eat and do admin work, or they just go with the flow and do whatever they… Continue Reading “Would You Be Better Off Having a Daily Routine? (Yes)”
10 Podcasts I am Loving Right Now
In a recent post, I talked about using podcasts as an incentive to exercising, and I received more messages and comments asking me which podcasts I listen to than about anything else! So, here are ten that I have been listening to pretty regularly. … Continue Reading “10 Podcasts I am Loving Right Now”
Want to Be More Disciplined? Get a Hobby
Hobbies are awesome. With our music careers, we are expected to be great. Always. Mistakes are not always forgiven, so we are under extreme pressure to never make them. Hobbies are different. With a hobby, mistakes are allowed. No pressure. We get all the fun of our successes without any of the consequences of our failures. And that is a very healthy feeling.
Back From Vacation? 8 ways to Get Back Into Your Practice Groove.
Today is Labor Day, our modern-day signal that summer is over and we all have to get back to work. Whether you spent the last three months studying or playing at various festivals and camps? Or maybe you took some time off to travel,… Continue Reading “Back From Vacation? 8 ways to Get Back Into Your Practice Groove.”
Summer Festival Not in the Cards This Year? 10 Steps to Making This Your Most Epically Productive Summer Anyway.
Summer is here! (YESSS) If you’re off to learn/teach/perform at a summer festival or two, then you’re certainly in for a busy and inspiring 8 weeks. But what if you’re not? Whether it’s due to financial considerations or because life is just requiring you… Continue Reading “Summer Festival Not in the Cards This Year? 10 Steps to Making This Your Most Epically Productive Summer Anyway.”
My Top 10 Favorite Books for Musicians
The ends of the concert season and school year are approaching and (thankfully!) bringing along the slower pace of the summer. Even if we have a full schedule of festivals and concerts, there is a bit more free time between June and September. It’s… Continue Reading “My Top 10 Favorite Books for Musicians”
The “Non-Professional” Music Life
I bet you started playing when you were knee-high to a grasshopper. In fact, you can’t really even remember much about your pre-music childhood. Now you’re 17, and you’re choosing whether to major in music, or another one of your passions. Or you’re 27… Continue Reading “The “Non-Professional” Music Life”
The Musician’s Life: How I transition between my various professional roles (without losing my mind!)
I’ve been seeing a lot of talk in various chat groups, podcasts and musician’s facebook groups about the stress of balancing it all, and figuring out how to do it all without getting completely overwhelmed. I wanted to share a few tips that I have learned along the way on how best to transition between my various professional roles without getting stressed out
Ten Things I Wish I Had Known About Auditions When I Was a Kid
The following is a post from last May that seemed to help a lot of folks who were gearing up for auditions. As we enter a new season of festival and youth orchestra auditions, I thought I would post it again. I’d love to… Continue Reading “Ten Things I Wish I Had Known About Auditions When I Was a Kid”