great axioms for practising and performing

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

Saul mentioned a couple of practice axioms, so I felt this warranted a new thread. To start: Barry Green’s axiom: “Performance=potential minus interference”. And I can’t remember where I heard this beauty: “There is no such thing as a difficult task; just a series of easy tasks”.

[David Ice]

I always liked Salzedo’s maxim:

“There are no difficult things.

[unknown-user]

In my first position out of undergrad college, the assistant pastor at the church I was serving taught me the Rule of the Seven “P”s:

Prior proper planning prevents piss-poor performance.

Applies to so many situations, yes?

[Kari Q]

I am stealing this phrase from Saul (not sure if

[diane-michaels]

perhaps too wordy to be an axiom but:

“Deliberate Practice: An activity that’s explicitly intended to improve performance, that reaches for objectives just beyond one’s level of competence, provides feedback on results and involves high levels of repetition.”

I apologize to the author of that quote, whose name I didn’t write down when I

[Elizabeth Volpé Bligh]

Here’s a gem from a Susann Macdonald master class: “A stopped string can’t buzz”. Words to live by. Off topic, from an old Laugh-in show: “He who speaks with forked tongue should never kiss balloon.”

[unknown-user]

I can’t remember where I

[unknown-user]

My own axiom each time I practice or preform.

[unknown-user]

I love that, Cei!! Thanks so much for sharing. I’ll keep that in mind.

[Anonymous]

A favorite of mine–actually from Sam Pratt, originally:

“A harp is no better than the strings that are on it.”

Sam Milligan, Brooklyn, NY

[rosalind-beck]

My husband is a musician (double-reed player), also.

[rosalind-beck]

Just remembered a couple other favorite fun sayings re (orchestral) performing:

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

How about this variation: A string is no better than the finger on it.

[Author]

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