Many musicians find themselves stuck in a cycle of “productive procrastination” — spending hours reading, watching videos, or buying gear without actually practicing.

Do you ever find yourself zoning out during scales or running out of steam before you get to the hard parts? It’s easy to fall into autopilot when you always do things the same way.

It’s a frustrating feeling: you’re trying to be a good student, but the practice tasks you’re given feel boring, confusing, or disconnected from what you want to play.

Do you avoid the metronome? Feel like it’s out to get you? Many musicians struggle to play along with a metronome — it can feel awkward, frustrating, or even like a personal failure.

Do you ever rush ahead in your music practice — thinking about the next note, the next section, or even what’s for lunch?

Taking a break from music — whether it’s been days, months, or even years — can stir up guilt, self-doubt, or a fear that we’ve lost something we’ll never get back.

Feeling too tired for a full practice session? It’s okay to turn back halfway.

Sometimes your emotions feel too big (or too dull!) to practice through. But what if you could use them?

It’s easy to lose momentum when you’re learning a new instrument or returning after a break.

Sometimes internal motivation just isn’t enough, especially if you’re an adult learning an instrument.

When you’re working on a piece that feels too hard, it’s easy to feel stuck or lose confidence. The mountain seems too big, and you can’t imagine ever reaching the top.

Sometimes our music goals feel so big they actually stop us from practicing.

Ever feel like you were improving faster when you first started learning music? You’re not imagining it.

If your practice feels tight, tense, or overly mechanical, this exercise is for you.

Do you find it hard to memorise music, lyrics or chords? Or does the thought of playing without the music in front of you send you into a panic? If yes, this is for you.

When we are learning music, especially if we are teaching ourselves, we often just want someone to hand us a method book and tell us exactly what to practice.

We’ve all been there — you hit a mistake in your music practice, cringe, stop, and go back. But if we always stop for every mistake in the practice room, how can we expect to play through them in performance?

When we learn an instrument or to sing, some days feel amazing, some feel frustrating, and some even feel boring.

Do you talk to yourself like a supportive teacher or a harsh critic? Many musicians speak to themselves in ways they would never speak to a friend.

If you always start learning a new piece from the beginning, you’re not alone. But this approach often leads to an uneven performance, the opening becomes polished through repetition, while the ending remains uncertain.