Importance Of Rest and Recovery From Musical Instruments

Recently, I've been increasing my practice time on the saxophone in the morning to simply maintain my performance level. I have been using the app Music Journal religiously to document my daily routines and subjects, and it has kept me on track so far. At the same time, my gigs, rehearsals, music instruction and business has been quite demanding. On Friday, I was exhausted.

This past weekend, I decided to rest up and recover. I passively listened to music, watched movies, and did a bit work around the home. I was feeling a little guilty for not touching my saxophone but I resisted the urge to come to the studio.

This morning, I felt rested and renewed. I resumed my routine and I was surprised at the ease and fluidity of my fingers on my saxophone.

It's important to practice your musical instrument each day but sometimes you need to listen to your
body when rest and recovery is needed. Rest gives the brain time to unconsciously learn the things you've been practicing and gives the muscles time to adapt to the demands placed upon them.