‘I was so close.’ ‘Oh my gosh, I messed up.’ ‘I need to start over.’ Do you feel like this whenever you start a new piece? Or even feel like this on a piece that you have been working on for weeks? It’s very easy to put all the blame on yourself and get frustrated when things just don’t go your way. You want to be the best; however, “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien,” which means, “The best is the enemy of good,” or, in other words, perfect is the enemy of progress. As a chronic overthinker and perfectionist myself, here are a few tips that I use to make progress.

Adding a Time Limit

Any small mistake feels like a big issue. You start over and over, trying to push past a certain section, but you go nowhere. It almost feels like it takes forever to get through a single sheet of music. Put a 5-minute timer on your phone, laptop, or tablet to get through the song. With such a small amount of time, there won’t be enough time to go back to the beginning. It’s basically like poking a hole in a dam to let the water out, causing you to focus less on what you’re stuck on and more on the entire song.

Playing Loud

Anger fuels an unhealthy mindset, causing a ton of doubt, which in turn makes you play worse. How do you get all of that out? Well, I’d say play as loud as possible. Scream out the lyrics, press hard on those keys, or pluck the strings with (almost) maximum strength. Letting it all out can be therapeutic. This will help relieve stress and can calm you down after a while. I do suggest you do this in either a room where no one can hear you or when there aren’t a lot of people at your house. For those who can hear you, be sure to give them a heads up.

Having Bite-Sized Pieces

There is no way to eat a whole cake in one sitting. I know because I have tried. Likewise, you shouldn’t be playing from beginning to end when you’re just starting. Slicing it into smaller sections will make it more digestible. Try cutting the song into several parts that contain two to three measures. Start with a part that you are good at before moving to the ones you struggle with. Small, bite-sized pieces are harder to choke on than your own expectations.

Take a Break

You might be thinking, “I practiced this for so long, why am I still not getting it?” It might be time to take a break. Just like a fresh pair of eyes helps you notice the finer details, a fresh pair of ears can also help you hear all the improvements you’ve made so far. Give yourself a set amount of time away from the piece. This can be as long as a day or as short as a couple of minutes. Being well rested also helps rejuvenate your mood, leading to fewer mistakes when playing.

Using a couple of these steps can help you make progress and become less fixated on being perfect. Sure, there will be times when moving forward feels like the end of the world. However, “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly,” so just keep practicing. Because getting through one step at a time is better than going nowhere fast.

Ashley Beaverson, B.A., Administrative Assistant

There are lots of questions I get from the parents of my youngest students about how to support their learning at home. Many parents, especially those with little to no musical training themselves, worry that they are not doing enough to help their child succeed. The truth is that even if you do not know how to read music or correct technique, your involvement can provide valuable structure and encouragement during practice time for your young musician. Here are a few tips and tricks I share with the parents of my students to help support their musical growth at home.

Establish Consistency

Have your student sit down at a dedicated time each day and practice for a set amount of time with a specific goal in mind. Getting into a routine helps build habits that stick.

Have Them Be the Teacher

When they sit down to practice, ask them what they learned in their previous lesson and have them try to teach it to you. Many times, a student will understand

an idea during the lesson but may not be able to fully explain the “why” behind a technique or concept until they break it down for someone else.

Celebrate the Effort

At the end of their practice session, have them show you what they worked on and ask how their session went. Remind them that even if they did not meet their goal for the day, they still put in meaningful work that helped them move closer to achieving it.

Reflect and Communicate

Have them take note of what went well during their practice session and what may have felt a little trickier. Encourage them to share both their successes and struggles with their instructor at the next lesson so we can celebrate their progress and provide guidance.

Above all, remind them that practice makes progress, not perfection. Mistakes are a natural part of the journey toward becoming an amazing musician. By providing encouragement, consistency, and a positive attitude toward learning, you can play an important role in helping your child build confidence and develop a lifelong love of music.

David Rueda, Violin Instructor

Hello SAMA friends! One of my favorite things about music is the powerful way it helps me connect with others. From making new friends to staying close with loved ones, music is a bridge we can walk across to meet in the middle, share something special, and create fun new memories. And this isn’t just something specific to me. Everyone can experience the magic of music bringing people together! Here are five things to try if you want to tap into music’s relationship-building power:

1. Make a Quiz

If you want to learn some really neat things about someone in your life, try giving them a mini “music quiz.” Ask them what song always brightens their mood and why it makes them feel better. Ask them about a song that makes them feel strong and empowered, then ask whether they would feel comfortable sharing a time in their life when that song gave them a boost of courage. Finally, ask whether they’ve ever heard a song that made them feel seen, known, or understood, and why it had that particular impact. Try coming up with similar questions, and have fun getting to know the person you’re talking with in a whole new way!

2. Sit with Someone Older

Another great way to use music as a point of connection is by chatting with someone one or two generations older than you about their favorite songs. Ask them what their favorite song was when they were your age and why they loved it. Get curious about a song tied to a special memory for them, ask about the memory, and then listen to the song together. It will almost feel like traveling back in time. Always remember to thank them for sharing their story!

3. Jam to a Family Playlist

It can be hard to find one playlist that everyone in your family enjoys. Instead, try making your own “family playlist,” where each family member chooses up to ten songs to add. This idea also works for friend groups, couples, or coworkers! Then, when you’re all together, play the playlist on shuffle and ask each person what makes their chosen songs meaningful to them. If you want to go a step further, try creating themed playlists: one for road trips, one for holidays, and one for an epic dance party.

4. Become the Teacher

Chances are, you have a friend or family member who secretly wants to learn a song you know but feels too nervous to ask. Try finding someone you can teach a song, or even part of a song, and watch them discover the joy of making music. If you feel intimidated by stepping into the “teacher” role, that’s completely understandable. But remember: you do not need to be perfect. You just need to be kind and willing to try your best. In doing so, you’ll give someone a very special gift, practice a new skill, and multiply the happiness you receive from taking lessons!

5. Take a Request

One very special thing you can do for a friend or loved one is learn to play or sing their favorite song. Even if you’re a beginner, you are still capable of doing this! Don’t let the fear of “not doing it perfectly” hold you back from making someone’s day. The time, effort, and intention you put into making music that is near and dear to someone’s heart can be incredibly meaningful.

We’ve talked about five simple ways you can harness music’s magical ability to bring people together, but it doesn’t stop here. Pick one of these ideas to try, then come up with one of your own. You just might find that music unlocks the door to better friendships, sweeter family time, and greater joy in your life.

Jade Hinnant, M.A., Piano Instructor

Weekly music lessons are a valuable investment, and making the most of that time requires intention from students, parents, and instructors alike. Arriving prepared with tuned instruments, completed assignments, and questions ensures that each lesson builds forward instead of catching up.

Listening plays a central role: students must actively hear their own playing, their teacher’s guidance, and the nuances of tone, rhythm, and dynamics that shape musical growth. Practice should be varied and purposeful. Break sessions into small sections: warm-ups, technique, repertoire, and creative exploration. Slow practice, repetition, and even silent “mental practice” all contribute to steady improvement. Progress in music is rarely linear; some weeks feel like leaps, others like plateaus. Consistency, patience, and reflection help students move through both.

Preparing for performances teaches focus and confidence. Simulating performance conditions at home by playing through pieces without stopping can make a significant difference. Parents can support by creating a positive environment, celebrating effort, and encouraging regular practice without pressure.

Above all, genuine interest is the driving force behind lasting success. Whether music becomes a career, a trade, or a lifelong hobby, curiosity and enjoyment sustain motivation. When students are truly engaged, practice becomes meaningful, lessons become exciting, and progress becomes deeply rewarding.

Paul Dattner, A.M., Guitar Instructor

Since early civilizations thousands of years ago, humans have shared music together; some through carving flutes out of bones, drums out of wood, and joining their voices in song. In today’s world, taking music lessons provides a stepping stone toward creating music in your own community; learning the language of music opens a variety of opportunities, such as writing your own music, joining bands, and jamming with other talented musicians (just to name a few). Music in a community setting has also been scientifically proven to have positive impacts on our physical and mental well-being. While it can be easy to get stuck in the practice room, it’s important to remind yourself that music is an art, and sharing it can bring so much joy to you and your community.

One of the easiest ways to communicate musically with others is through a basic understanding of music theory. Learning note names, chords, scales, rhythms, etc., provides the terminology that many musicians understand and use for playing together. In the same way that you would use Duolingo to learn a new language and talk to people, taking music lessons allows you to understand and talk about music with other musicians. While understanding music theory is not necessary to play an instrument, it can offer a common vocabulary for exchanging ideas.

Music lessons also open the doors to creating your own music. Once you are proficient on an instrument, you can get creative and try your own combinations or patterns of notes and chords. Grab a fellow musician, tell them your ideas, and now you have a jam session!

With everything going on in the world today, it is easy to feel isolated. However, music has scientifically proven ways to help combat the global loneliness crisis. Shared musical experiences can synchronize heart rates and movements, enhancing feelings of connection even among strangers. Music can also increase levels of oxytocin, fostering trust and generosity while reducing stress and anxiety.

Taking music lessons is a great first step in fostering connection and community. Next steps can include finding local jams, supporting live music, or joining or creating a band. SAMA also offers opportunities to make music with others through our Student Band Program. You can also talk to your instructor about their own experiences with music outside of the practice room. The following are some famous quotes about music and its link to community and well-being:

“Music is a therapy. It is a communication far more powerful than words, far more immediate, far more efficient.”

– Yehudi Menuhin (American-British violinist and conductor)

“Music has a great power for bringing people together. With so many forces in this world acting to drive wedges between people, it’s important to preserve those things that help us experience our common humanity.”

– Ted Turner (American entrepreneur and television producer)

“The power of music to integrate and cure … is quite fundamental. It is the profoundest non-chemical medication.”

– Oliver Sacks (British neurologist)

“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music.”

– Billy Joel (American singer-songwriter and pianist)

“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”

– Victor Hugo (French author)

“Music has touched the human soul across all boundaries of time, space, and genre. … Perhaps, in its vibratory nature, music opens us to a greater appreciation of our essential connectedness to the cosmos, our oneness with all that is.”

–  Balfour M. Mount (Canadian physician)

Learning music can be a portal to your creativity, community, and happiness. Now get out there and make some music!

Veronica Lizárraga, M.M., Piano Instructor

Verenice D’Santiago-Eastman, PhD
Licensed Psychologist
Licensed Specialist in School Psychology

It is with heartfelt enthusiasm that I share our family’s musical journey. As both a parent and child psychologist, I’ve had front-row seats to the many ways music education and the dedicated instructors at SAMA have shaped my children’s growth. It’s not just about learning notes; it’s about resilience, emotional intelligence, and a sense of belonging that extends well beyond the stage. 

As you read and reflect on your own path, I hope you’ll see how these moments build into something truly remarkable, a transformation as uplifting as a well-played crescendo! 

Emotional Outlet and Regulation Music education has given my daughters a chance to practice emotional regulation and express feelings in healthy ways. In psychological terms, music is both a tool for affect modulation and a safe outlet for emotional expression. Learning an instrument isn’t just about scales, it’s a journey with high notes, low notes, and the occasional urge to dramatically flop onto the piano bench. For my daughter who feels deeply, playing music is her personal “emotional reset,” far more melodic for us as parents! Both girls have faced frustration, and I’ve watched them use strategies like deep breathing, mindful breaks, humming, and self-talk. Instead of avoiding discomfort, they’re learning to tolerate distress and persist. If there’s one lesson I hope sticks, it’s that they can do hard things, and sometimes, the best therapy is to let the music play!

Executive Functioning Recitals are a unique opportunity to focus, plan, and execute goals, nurturing self-efficacy and autonomy. For my youngest, preparing for a recital is a masterclass in time management, goal-setting, and motivation regulation. Research shows learning an instrument boosts executive functions like working memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility. At home, her attention span has gone from less than half a minute (blink and you’d miss it!) to sitting through entire lessons and daily practice, noisy interruptions and all. Even more exciting is seeing this discipline spill over into academics. She’s not just practicing music; she’s practicing focus, persistence, and sticking with challenges. The result? Academic growth and initiative: whether it’s a tricky piano piece or conquering a math skill for her own intrinsic value. 

Resiliency At home, the performance doesn’t stop when the curtain falls. The girls regularly stage living room “concerts” (complete with “showlights”), blending music, dance, and sibling negotiation. These moments of imaginative play are more than adorable, they’re building blocks for resilience, creativity, and social connection. Well-established studies show imaginative play fosters problem-solving, emotional flexibility, and adaptive coping, all essential for developing resiliency. Children who engage in pretend play are better equipped to navigate challenges and bounce back from setbacks, so every living room concert is not just entertainment, but rehearsal for life’s bigger stages. 

Accepting Feedback One of my favorite developments has been watching my daughters cultivate the superpower of handling constructive feedback. Thanks to music instructors skilled at delivering suggestions with encouragement and clarity, both girls have learned to view feedback not as criticism, but as an invitation to grow, a hallmark of the growth mindset. This shift nurtures the belief that abilities develop through effort and learning. I can almost see the gears turning as they start to interpret feedback as cooperation rather than critique. This year, I’ve become their student myself, and my daughters now face the fresh challenge of evolving into teachers. 

Managing Anxiety SAMA instructor, Andres Losada, recently wrote that stage fright is “not an enemy to eliminate, but something we can learn to channel.” As you can imagine, this was music to my ears! In anxiety psychoeducation, we call this “anxiety reappraisal,” transforming nervous energy into excitement and focus. My oldest has become a pro at “cognitive reframing,” she sees her butterflies not as impending doom, but as a sign that something important is about to happen. (I suspect her butterflies now wear tiny tuxedos holding batons!) From my seat, I spot her deep breathing and using grounding techniques, and after the final note, a triumphant gasp of relief. In that moment, she radiates confidence and accomplishment, and there’s a wonderful sense of camaraderie with fellow performers, all navigating their own pre-show jitters. This sense of belonging and connection is what every child needs. 

I’m grateful for the way music education builds my daughters, not just as budding musicians, but as growing humans learning to manage nerves, savor achievement, and share joy with others. Most importantly, it gives them another adult in their lives who believes in them. Every child deserves another champion in their community. Thank you, SAMA, from the bottom of our family’s heart. And if you ever need a ticket to the next living room show, I know a guy.

One of the most exciting parts of learning guitar is discovering how effects can transform your tone. Whether you choose to use individual guitar effect pedals or a multi-effect unit, guitar effects can help you shape your sound and unlock a world of new musical possibilities. Here is an overview of some of the most common types of guitar effects and what they sound like.

Overdrive and Distortion

Overdrive pedals simulate the sound of a tube amplifier being “pushed” hard (turned up really loud). Distortion pedals take this concept further, creating heavier and more aggressive sounds. These types of effects are usually placed first in the guitar signal chain.

How they sound:

• Overdrive: Warm, gritty, and dynamic. It responds to how hard you pick; soft playing stays clean, while harder playing breaks up into a crunchy tone. It is commonly used in blues, rock, and pop. Overdrives are also great for boosting your guitar’s volume during a solo.
• Distortion: Thicker, louder, and more compressed. Notes sustain longer and sound more aggressive, making it perfect for playing hard rock and metal.

Modulation Effects

Modulation effects slightly alter your signal over time, often by changing pitch, timing, or volume in a repeating pattern. Common types of modulation effects are Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, Tremolo, and Vibrato. These types of effects are typically placed after the Overdrives and Distortions in the guitar signal chain.

How they sound:

• Chorus: Makes your guitar sound wider and fuller, like multiple guitars playing the same part. Often adds a shimmering quality to your sound.
• Phaser/Flanger: Swirling, swooshing sounds that move up and down in frequency.
• Tremolo: A rhythmic pulsing of volume.
• Vibrato: A gentle (or dramatic) wavering of pitch.

Time-Based Effects

These effects are based on time, creating echoes or simulating acoustic spaces. Common types of time-based effects are Delay and Reverb, and are usually placed at the end of the signal chain. 

How they sound:

• Delay: Repeats your notes back to you like an echo. Short delays add thickness, while long delays create rhythmic patterns or ambient sounds.
• Reverb: Simulates playing in a room, hall, or large space. It makes your guitar sound more natural, spacious, or dreamy.

Utility Pedals

Utility pedals don’t drastically change your tone, but they are essential for control and consistency and often make performing on stage much easier.

Common utility pedals are Tuners, Volume Pedals, EQs, and Noise Gates.

How they sound:

• Tuner: Mutes your guitar signal while helping you tune. Tuner pedals are essential for anybody playing in a band.
• Volume Pedal: Allows smooth control over loudness, swells, and fade-ins. Works like your guitar’s volume knob, but is controlled by a foot-controlled expression pedal.
• EQ: Shapes tone by boosting or cutting specific frequencies.
• Noise Gate: Reduces unwanted hum and hiss when you’re not playing, great for guitars with single coil pickups and noisy distortion effects.

Whether you’re adding a touch of reverb for depth or cranking up the overdrive for some grit, experimenting with effects is a fun and rewarding part of your guitar journey. Happy playing!

Jake Ramirez, M.M., Guitar Instructor

Nothing feels as good as making progress. Whether it’s getting an “A” on a difficult test or shaving a few seconds off your lap time, the feeling of seeing your hard work pay off is unparalleled. Finding that same feeling in music can be difficult. Music is a very individual discipline. Instead of practicing with a team, you’re sitting in a practice room by yourself. Instead of seeing a teacher for hours each week, you get 30-60 minutes once per week. Instead of weekly games, most of us get one or two recitals per year. Even the most talented and dedicated students can get frustrated and lose steam. But if you want to succeed, regardless of what level you want to reach, you need to give yourself 1 thing above all others: time.

Music requires physical proficiency, mental fortitude, and emotional stamina and each of these factors needs dedicated, focused time to develop. Your growth will not be linear. You will have periods of tremendous growth, then you will plateau. It is perfectly natural! That period of plateau is when your consistency becomes most important. So, here’s some advice to get through the plateau and on to the next breakthrough:

1. Choose YOUR goal. Not your parent’s goal, not your friend’s goal. Yours. What do you want to accomplish? It can be small, like learning how to find middle C, or huge, like wanting to become a working professional. Give yourself a plan to achieve that goal. Your teacher can help you!
2. Recognize what has improved. It can be easy to not see the small successes, as a species we tend to acknowledge only the big wins. Appreciate the little wins too, they’re moving you forward and will add up quickly.
3. Give yourself time. It’s said that true mastery takes 10,000 hours. Fit your practice into your daily schedule. Sixty, thirty, ten, or even five minutes of consistent practice each day will take you further than you’d think.
4. Find the practice flow that works for you. Maybe you’re not the “sit down and practice for two hours straight” type of person. Maybe you’re a “ten minutes here, ten minutes there” person. Even a mental rehearsal where you’re just looking at your music is practice. IPad games that help you learn your notes is practice!

Remember, we’re all climbing the mountain together! Lean on your community for support, take breaks when you get frustrated, but please don’t give up. You’re doing a great job!

Olivia Spencer, Piano Instructor

Ever since I can remember, I’ve always heard other teachers or fellow students say, “Play along with the song you are learning” or “learn that falseta [lick] and play along with the maestro.” If I was learning a piece from my classical repertoire, my teacher always said, “Record yourself and you will hear what can be improved.” I can’t forget hearing “You ALWAYS need a metronome!” The truth is that music is like learning a new language, just without being spoken, and recording yourself is one way to get instant feedback.

There are many benefits to playing with a track – whether you’re learning full-length songs or repertoire from your books. Along with getting an ear-training workout, playing along with a track will help you learn your material much faster. This is because you are trying to better match your playing to the track, which helps you learn it quickly. If something is too fast, I recommend breaking it down so you learn the notes first. Learning to play your part slowly before you speed it up is a great way to tell if you are ready. Slow practice will help your playing improve technically and, most importantly, give your music clarity. Patience and time will work with you. This brings me to my next step, which is using a metronome.

Metronome practice is another tool that will help your tempo and keep you from speeding up or dragging. It helps with accenting beats and defining the clarity of your subdivisions. After spending some time practicing with a metronome, bring your playing back to a track and see how close you can get to it. Remember, this may take some repetition before you start seeing results, and that’s okay.

This next step is probably the most exciting, because you get to hear what you sound like. Recording yourself can be scary at first, but you’ll see how much it can help you improve. When you start, you can simply use your phone’s recording app or another device or software, such as GarageBand. After recording yourself alongside the track you are working on, listen back to what you recorded, and you’ll hear the parts where you are strongest and the areas where you need improvement. Once you identify your weak and strong parts, I recommend approaching the weak points first, then the strong points of your playing. This is a great opportunity for you to improve as a young music student.

These practice methods can be applied to any instrument, style, or genre you wish to learn. This method helped me learn how to play Rock, Jazz, Flamenco, and Classical on the guitar—with the guidance of a good teacher.

Mark Salazar, B.M., Guitar Instructor