by Terrence Cummings , director of TMA-

Hey M-Tribe

When you step through the doors of Tupelo Music Academy, you’re not just learning notes and rhythms—you’re developing skills that can shine in any performance setting. Whether you’re preparing for a church service, joining a band, or simply sharing your progress with family, here’s how to bridge the gap between lesson time and showtime.

Translate Practice Techniques to Performance Preparation

The warm-up routines you’ve learned aren’t just for lessons—they’re your secret weapon before any performance. Those scale exercises help limber up your fingers before church service. The breath control techniques prepare your lungs before joining the band. Treat every performance preparation like you would a lesson: structured, focused, and intentional.

Many students fall into the trap of practicing differently than they perform. Instead, simulate performance conditions during practice. If you’ll be standing while playing at church, practice standing. If you’ll be using a different microphone setup at your gig, try to replicate it when practicing. This minimizes surprises when it’s time to perform.

Build a Performance Routine from Lesson Elements

Your lesson structure can become your performance template. Start with the technical exercises that help you sound your best, then move to the pieces you’ll perform. The self-assessment strategies you’ve learned—recording yourself, identifying trouble spots—can be applied before any performance to build confidence.

When preparing for a band rehearsal or church service, use the sectional practice approach from your lessons. Break compositions into manageable chunks, perfect each section, then bring them together—just as your instructor guides you through difficult passages in lessons.

Apply Feedback Skills in Group Settings

In lessons, you learn to accept and implement feedback. This skill becomes invaluable when collaborating with other musicians. The attentive listening you practice in lessons helps you blend with the church choir or lock in with your bandmates.

Your ability to self-correct, developed through recorded practice sessions, allows you to make adjustments in real-time during performances. This adaptability—knowing when to play louder, softer, faster, or slower based on what you hear—is one of the most valuable skills you’ll take from lessons to live settings.

Connect Technical Skills with Emotional Expression

During lessons, we focus on technical mastery alongside expressive playing. In performance, this balance becomes crucial. The dynamics you’ve practiced help convey emotion during a moving church hymn. The articulation techniques bring energy to an upbeat band performance.

Remember: technical skills serve emotional expression. Your family doesn’t just want to hear that you can play the right notes—they want to feel something. Apply your technical foundation as the vehicle for sharing what moves you about the music.

Embrace Growth Through Every Performance

Each performance is a learning opportunity, just like each lesson. After playing at church or with your band, take time to reflect using the assessment tools from your lessons. What went well? What needs improvement? This cycle of preparation, performance, and reflection mirrors your lesson structure and accelerates your growth.

The greatest musicians never stop being students. By applying your lesson approach to every performance context, you create a continuous loop of improvement that will enhance both your playing and your enjoyment of music for years to come.