The 9 Practice Personalities – See Which One You Are

Everyone has their own unique personality when it comes to a variety of things. Music is no exception, and thanks to the book “Practice Personalities For Adults” by Thornton Cline. Making Music is here to break down the most common personalities for people when it comes to practicing. So what are you waiting for, check out the list below of the 9 practice personalities and see which one you fall under.

12 IMPROVISATION TIPS YOU NEED TO LEARN

9 Practice Personalities

1. The Over-Exuberant, Highly Confident Student

This person has such high confidence they aren’t afraid to perform in front of others. This is something many people may wish they had, but it can still be a bad thing. Over-confidence may lead to unpreparedness when it comes to performing, and that is the last thing you want.

2. Excuse Making, Blaming

This doesn’t really need much explaining. These are the kind of people who will blame anyone as long as it isn’t there fault. We all know someone like this. Thorton points out that this may not actually be a bad thing. Once they are able to blame themselves, they will be so critical they will start showing tremendous progress.

3. Dramatic

Once again, we all know someone who is way too dramatic. This can lead to distractions and can suffer if they focus too much on the negative. Likewise, if they focus on the positive, they can show some amazing results.

4. Overscheduled, Way-Too-Busy

This means the person is hardworking and motivated. They want to learn music. The problem may be they don’t have the physical time to make music. It’s important for a person to understand their priorities and manage their time well so their music doesn’t suffer.

5. Fragile, Easily Discouraged

We all see where this is going. These are the people that have potential, maybe even the motivation, but can’t see past the faults. They can be something incredible, but it is a delicate experience. When something goes wrong, they will take it too personal, and will find it difficult to move on.

6. Unmotivated

This doesn’t mean a person isn’t skilled enough to make music, they just don’t care enough. The trick is finding something to motivate these people. Once that happens the real results will begin to show.

7. Not-So-Detailed

This also means a person can be relaxed as they play, which often yields the best results with music. By not focusing on all the minor details, this person can play smoothly and easily. The issue stems from not correcting or even noticing smaller mistakes. They may be relaxed while playing, but that doesn’t mean they are giving their best performance.

8. Perfectionist

And of course, you have your perfectionist that must do everything right. The obvious advantage is how they will perfect a song without pressure from an outsider pushing them. They need to make the song perfect. The downside is how even the tiniest mistake can affect them and upset them. Once a Perfectionist can brush off tiny mistakes without taking it too personal, they can be some of the best performers out there.

9. Build Your Own

Naturally, some people just won’t fit into any of the categories above without combining two or three of them. This can make it a little tricky for the teacher when it comes to using the proper strategy. It is up to the teacher to pay attention and investigate what kind of student they are paired with. Once that is discovered, it will be easier to develop a strategy that will be effective with such a unique student.

So what Practice Personality do you think you are? You may be a mixture of two or three! Leave your answer in the comments below.