The Score Magazine October 2021 issue | Page 33

10 Tips for Students who are Learning Classical Music

NAVYA C
Learning Classical Music- whether Carnatic , Hindustani or Western demands the student of certain methodologies to follow for better results . There are many myths relating to the classical music and how to become a better performer among the students- which leads to even more confusion on what has to be followed . The idea of dos and don ’ ts while learning becomes a worrisome thought .
We bring ten effective tips for the students that would greatly help them in excelling to learn Classical Music :
1 . Practice , practice and practice : Did we say the term thrice ? Yes . The main reason is because every classical musician emphasizes on this . Without regular and consistent practice , no matter how much the student learns theoretically , it cannot be fruitful and hampers growth . Make sure you practice everyday consistently at least for an hour to maintain the pace and progress better . 2 . Listening is Learning : We often put less focus on listening thinking that we have got it right- in limited number of hearings . The art of listening becomes a great path to learn faster and effectively . This also improves focus and memory for the student . Even if you feel you have already got the composition right , make sure you keep listening – something new will definitely be observed through this skill . Every form of classical music emphasizes on ear training . 3 . Keep an Open Mind : Most of the learning gets hampered when there is no open mind when it comes to music . Be open to all forms of music , even though you are learning a certain form of music . This clears lot of rigid opinions and accelerates progress in learning . After all , every music form has seven notes- is it not ?
4 . Listen to the Great Artists : Apart from learning from the guru , it is important to listen to the legends of classical music to understand how they have excelled in renditions . Learning about great artists , their history and the inspiration for them to excel in music will bring strong motivation to learn better . 5 . Understand the difference between “ Fusion ” and “ Confusion ”: In the current age where fusion music is ruling the roost , a lot of students find it attractive and feel energized to pursue fusion music as a career . But even in order to do fusion , one must understand the classical form thoroughly . With proper understanding of two different music forms , one can come up with a meaningful fusion . 6 . Patience is a Virtue : The biggest myth that surrounds classical music is that- it takes long time to learn and with the tech-led generation , it becomes quite confusing . Patience is definitely a virtue when it comes to learning classical music . By learning fundamentals right , the growth becomes exponential for sure . So , hold on there to learn a tough composition and take it like a challenge ! 7 . Bond with your Guru : Learning classical music is not just like another mechanical skill- and it has higher spiritual impact as well . Bonding with your guru makes the learning process even more enjoyable and fruitful . 8 . No End to Learning : Like every art , learning classical music is an eternal process that can cruise through lives . No matter if you get degrees , masters or even PhD in Music , there will be something new to learn . Have an eternal approach towards learning music- and rediscovering its brilliance on every brand new day . 9 . Attend Classical Events / Concerts : Make an effort to attend as many live performances as possible to get a grip on how legends perform . Listening from a device can definitely not be compared to listening to live . Every music learner has to experience the thrill of attending a live performance- of select artists that will motivate them even greater to pursue the art . 10 . Learn the Cultural and Historic Background : Along with learning a composition , make an effort to learn the cultural significance of the composition- which makes it easy to realize the greatness of it . Irrespective of the religious limitations , understanding a composition in historic perspective greatly improves the performance and learning graph .
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