Practice Mistake 3: Working Too Hard

Download my FREE guide to all 8 Practice Mistakes (with musical examples): https://natesviolin.com/8-practice-mistakes/ What if "difficult" pieces don't actually exist? This will change how you practice forever. Nathan Milstein, one of the greatest violinists who ever lived, said "There are no difficult pieces. Either you can play it or you can't." In my frustrated moments, I want to yell back "Easy for you to say, you could play everything!" But there's an uncomfortable truth hidden in those words. Think about a Major League Baseball player hitting a home run, or a basketball pro dunking. Does it look hard for them? Not really. It's natural. It's how their bodies are supposed to work. For me to dunk a basketball? That's not hard—that's impossible. I could work the rest of my life on my vertical jump and never acquire the muscular abilities required. But here's the key difference: playing the violin doesn't require super strength, incredible speed, or marathon runner stamina. In this video, I show you why you won't expand your limits by trying harder or putting in more physical effort. As Yoda memorably said, "Try not. Do or do not. There is no try." The key is understanding that we're not looking to do the same thing better—we're looking to do something different. Just like my old chamber music coach Steve Tenenbom used to say, "It's just as easy to play in tune as out of tune." I demonstrate this with challenging passages from the Bach G minor Sonata, showing how string crossings become easier when you move earlier (not faster and further), how left-hand patterns smooth out when you prepare fingers in advance, and how long chords become effortless when you bring the contact point closer to the bridge instead of fighting with bow speed and pressure. Work steadily over the long term and play the long game—but don't work too hard while you're at it. Watch all 8 videos in the complete playlist to discover every practice mistake that's holding you back. The free PDF guide summarizes all 8 mistakes and includes the musical examples from every video in the series.