THE LIFE AND TIMES OF NICK CROWSON

Purpose in Practice and Practice Journal by Rachel Lee Hall

Book Review, July 2020

Harpist, Rachel Hall, has provided a series of 26 practical tips for the practicing musician to enhance their times spent improving. The tips range from practical advice, positive psychological approaches to more specific ways of practicing.

This guidance book has been written with a second work, very much in mind - her Purpose in Practice Journal. Here, we are invited to apply our newly learnt ways into a disciplined log of goals and achievements over a six month period, incorporating the professional way of practicing as she sees it.

Further, the user is invited to submit notes and video clips of practice to her hash tag account on 'Instagram'. Here, we are encouraged to take part in a practice community, supporting and learning from similar others. As a practicing violinist, without a tutor, I am already finding these two new acquisitions very helpful. Previously, I had been recording practice sessions on plain A4 sheets, without a ready made programme and without Ms Hall's guidance. This old disorganised style has been readily shelved and I am now a regular, nay, daily journal enterer.

One of my issues, with the book I purchased was the somewhat cramped feel of the typography, with the left-hand margin cut to virtually nothing. Furthermore, the front leaf contents page, immediately slipped from its bindings. I then found at regular intervals pages just fell out. My copy appeared to have been secured not with an industrial glue, but human spittle.

The author interestingly leads in each chapter with a quote from somebody of importance, musically or otherwise, which is used to help suggest a theme for the forthcoming chapter. The work comprises '26 Rules for the Practising Musician'.

In her introductory remarks, Rachel Hall links this work to her other publication, a musical journal, in which the techniques advanced here are incorporated in a six month log of a practicing musicians progress. Although the author is essentially a harpist, her tips are designed for the use or application of any musician. They include learning techniques, physical rigours and psychological mind-sets.

I am finding both the practice tips and style of journal planning and recording practice sessions an inspiration. I feel guided into a more professional approach to practicing, even if I don't always achieve it. Regrettably, the advised microphones here for use with recording media such as tablets and Iphones have not improved my sound reproduction one jot. I, therefore, have felt disinclined to engage with the hashtag community, proposed in this book. I should advise readers my violin sounds are exemplary to my ears, suggesting the newly acquired microphone is not worthy of my musicianship.