top of page
Best Practice Book Cover
Winner - Independent Press Award

PRACTICE SMARTER,
PRACTICE HAPPIER

Practical Advice for Adult, Self-Taught Musicians

“Dense with lived wisdom but compulsively readable, the book combines practical guidance and inspiration in a comprehensive volume that will prove invaluable to musicians of any musical style or experience level. -Indie Reader

“A great book for adult learners of any instrument… [this book brings the reader] a sense of true inspiration, a feeling that success is attainable while outlining the practical steps to get there."  -Fiddler Magazine

​

Available in paperback and Kindle ebook

Free shipping on U.S. direct orders - How to Buy

    NOW AVAILABLE:    

The Best Practice Workbook

Improve faster by tracking your progress    learn more

“Practicing” is a
Practice

Turn practicing into a joyful activity you engage in for its own sake.

Work Efficiently, Progress Faster

Practice more effectively, using the advice of great teachers and scientific learning.

Become Your Own, Best Teacher

Identify the traits of
the best teachers, and
use them to teach yourself.

Integrate Mind and Body

Learn practical methods that will help you play with ease and fluency.

Start with an
Intention

Begin each day’s practice with a concept to help you stay focused and positive.

Play More Musically

Learn to make your playing more musical, engaging, and listenable. 

Why “Traditional Music”?

The term traditional music (or “trad” music) can refer to regional musical styles from any part of the world. Unlike classical music, these styles are often transmitted person-to-person, by ear, rather than through written music. The focus was often on playing for dancers, or on playing together as a social event, rather than playing for paying audiences.

 

Traditional music can include anything from Celtic music to klezmer, Cajun, Brazilian chorro, English country dance music, tango, Québécois, blues and a hundred other styles. 

​

You don't have to play trad to benefit from the ideas in this book. The concepts can be used by classical and jazz musicians and even visual artists to enhance their creativity and joy.

More Praise for Best Practice

“This is a fabulous book! Judy makes us want to apply her methods, often right after reading a sentence. This is the kind of book I imagine every musician will enjoy.”

– Liz Carroll

Grammy-nominated American fiddler, National Heritage fellow

read full review
 

“Filled to the brim with practical insights, solid advice and wisdom that will benefit all traditional musicians, regardless of instrument, style, genre or skill level. There are vast wells of information in these pages that you can dip a toe, swim or dive deeply into. This is a rich and finely wrought work and I highly recommend it.”   

– Happy Traum

fingerstyle guitarist and folk music legend

read full review

 

“A very lively, entertaining and friendly book which I'm sure will be a boon to players everywhere. Contains a wealth of exceptionally useful advice for musicians of any level.”

– Kevin Burke

Irish master fiddler

read full review

​

“A wealth of ideas and tools for making progress as a musician, all presented – in keeping with the book's own advice – in small, clear, achievable steps.”

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers

founding editor, Acoustic Guitar magazine,

author, The Complete Singer-Songwriter

 

“Full of wonderful words of wisdom. Very down to earth, making perfect sense, with practical, sensible, and very helpful information. I was truly delighted to read this book and to recommend it to musicians I have an opportunity to meet on my journey.”

- James Kelly

renowned Irish fiddler

​

“A veritable bible of a practice guide. Players of all levels and all styles will benefit from reading this very well thought out, very thorough and accessible approach.”   

– Natalie Haas

groundbreaking American cellist

read full review

​

“Having this guidebook is a godsend. I highly recommend it for all musicians, regardless of instrument, level or genre.”

– Mary Flower

award-winning guitarist, teacher

read full review

How To Use this Book

A Chapter for Every Day You Practice

There are 197 self-contained chapters. Each chapter offers a single concept or idea.  Many teach specific practice techniques. Others address the “mind game” of creativity and practice. Some chapters are about ensuring your body provides the most effective support for your playing.

​

You might read one whenever you sit down to practice, or one a week, or whatever you want. You can read them in order, but you don't have to.

​

Take Time to Try New Ideas

In order to learn deeply and permanently, we need to absorb new material in small quantities. We need time to try ideas, practice with them in mind, and even forget about them and come back to them later.

 

Musical mastery is achieved through incremental progress. We may not notice a change after just one day's practice. Improvement happens over weeks, months and years. This book is written for you to read the way you grow as a musician: in small, regular measures.

​

Practice With an Intention

Each chapter ends with an “intention” that sums up the ideas in the chapter. In the practice of yoga, teachers often use an intention at the beginning of class to help students focus as they practice. This idea translates well to music practice.

About the Author

Judy Minot has played piano since she could reach the keys. She trained as a classical musician until age 16. In the “empty nest” years she began playing jazz, and at the same time discovered the vibrant community of traditional music. She now plays piano, accordion and violin, and has led workshops all over the Eastern U.S.

 

Judy began her working life in broadcast television, editing music videos, entertainment specials and documentaries for a long list of artists, including Mariah Carey, Bob Dylan, Ozzy Osbourne, Regina Belle, John Mellencamp, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Cyndi Lauper, Donny Osmond, Rush, Shania Twain, Tony Bennett and Dr. John. She went on to produce, direct and write for cable and broadcast television, including Martha Stewart, CBS News as well as many recording industry clients. Eventually she transitioned to work in digital marketing.

​

Judy holds a 4th degree black belt in the martial art of Kokikai Aikido, which she taught at Rutgers University for 12 years. She is also a certified yoga teacher. 

About Judy Minot

Sign Up

To sign up for occasional emails about workshops or other news, please fill out this simple form.

bottom of page