Enhancing skills on a brass instrument can involve tedious and repetitive efforts, making motivation, and critical thinking a crucial aspects for becoming a more proficient musician. Motivation significantly influences the learning process, shaping students attitudes toward the importance of practicing their instrument during self-preparation. This, in turn, affects their ability to acquire the technical skills required for playing brass instruments. Understanding and applying motivation to brass instruments in an educational context can be challenging due to the complexity and multifaceted nature of this concept. Numerous schoolchildren and students endeavor to sustain their motivation and dedication to self-preparation, particularly when faced with technical challenges that may stem from inadequate mastery of playing fundamentals or gaps in addressing technical issues that might emerge while performing musical pieces. Lack of motivation can lead to disappointment, burnout and even a complete abandonment of the instrument. Musicians who lack a solid foundation and discipline in playing a brass instrument, and choose to pursue a professional career in music, encounter additional challenges such as muscle tension in the neck, abdomen, and face areas. The absence of motivation can further complicate the process of dealing with inadequately established playing fundamentals.
Therefore, it is crucial for musicians to cultivate critical thinking skills, and for music teachers, understanding how to foster and sustain the motivation of students is equally significant. Teachers should possess the expertise to inspire and engage students in the learning process, fostering their growth and development. Experienced students and professional musicians often have their own unique ideas about what good practice involves. These variations are normal because musicians aim to highlight their personal strengths and improve their weaknesses. In light of these challenges, the cultivation of critical thinking skills emerges as a crucial companion for musicians. This ability to analyze, assess, and refine their approach becomes integral to overcoming hurdles and sustaining motivation. ‘’Performer is alone, with his or her instrument, and must rely on personal skill to achieve progress throughout the practice session [...] By selecting and implementing appropriate practice strategies a perfomer can acquire necessary tools to accomplish this,,. We can conclude that if we are able to think critically, we can search for and find effective solutions for improving our playing skills and create specific practice sessions or exercises to eliminate occurring or common problems when it comes to playing brass instrument
This research focuses on the relationship between motivation, critical thinking and skill enhancement in playing a brass wind instrument. The primary objective is to explore personal strategies for developing and sustaining motivation and fostering critical thinking skills among musicians learning to play a brass instrument. By examining the significance of these elements in the context of ''How to be more productive while practicing with a brass instrument'', this research aims to provide practical recommendations, assisting musicians in finding diverse ways to stay motivated and think critically while honing their craft on a brass instrument.