The Two Real Secrets to Musical Progress That No One Talks About

Progress Isn’t Magic, It’s Methodical

Every parent wants to see their child thrive. Every adult learner wants to finally play the songs they love. And yet, many give up too soon. Not because they lack talent, passion, or even discipline, but because they never learned how real progress in music actually works.

At Rising Tones, we’ve worked with hundreds of students across guitar, piano, vocals, and drums; both in-person and online. We’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and more importantly, what transforms a learner into a musician.

It boils down to just two powerful truths:

A) Getting the right fundamentals from the start.

B) Practicing consistently in small chunks over time.

Let’s unpack why these two ingredients are the difference between long-term growth and quiet quitting—and how we embed them deeply in everything we do at Rising Tones.

Secret 1: The Right Fundamentals Early On

There’s a reason great teachers obsess over posture, finger placement, breathing technique, and rhythm control in the first few lessons: your foundation shapes everything else that follows.

The Slippery Slope of "Learning Wrong"

Many students get discouraged not because they aren’t smart or talented, but because they were taught (or self-taught) the wrong habits:

A guitarist with poor finger arching struggles to cleanly play chords.

A pianist who skips finger strength work can’t build speed later.

A vocalist who neglects posture finds themselves gasping by the second chorus.

These are not minor issues. They’re silent saboteurs that drain confidence over time.

At Rising Tones, Fundamentals Are Non-Negotiable

That’s why our teachers at Rising Tones are trained to prioritise and reinforce the correct fundamentals—even when students just want to "play the song."

Take Mia, a 9-year-old piano student who came to us after a year of casual YouTube-based learning. She could mimic a few songs, but her posture, hand position, and finger independence were holding her back. With structured guidance over 10 weeks focused on just five core skills, she went from frustrated to fluent. Today, she composes her own short pieces.

Fundamentals build the muscle memory, technique, and confidence needed for everything else to fall into place.

Secret 2: Small, Consistent Practice Over Time

If fundamentals are the soil, then daily practice is the sunlight. And here’s where many students (and parents) go wrong:

"We didn't have time to practice this week, so we’ll do 2 hours this weekend."

Sound familiar? While well-intentioned, this approach misses the mark. Music, like language, is absorbed best in small, regular doses.

The Science Behind It

Research published in Frontiers in Psychology (2018) shows that shorter, distributed music practice sessions lead to better long-term retention than longer, infrequent ones. The brain consolidates musical motor skills more effectively when exposed to repetition over several days.

It’s not about cramming. not about long hours, It’s about frequency.

The "15-Minute Rule"

At Rising Tones, we encourage what we call the 15-Minute Rule:

Practice just 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week.

That’s it. For beginners and even busy adults, that’s enough to:

Build muscle memory

Reinforce progress made in class

Reduce performance anxiety over time

Take Rishi, a working professional who joined our guitar program with the goal of playing a song at his wedding. He had just 6 weeks. His daily 20-minute practice (guided by Rising Tones' weekly checkpoints) helped him build confidence and fluency, ultimately leading to a stunning surprise performance that moved the entire room.

Big dreams are built on tiny, repeatable actions.

Why These Two Ingredients Matter Most These two simple pillars—strong fundamentals and regular practice—do more than help someone "learn an instrument." They:

Build confidence instead of confusion

Accelerate progress without burnout

Turn music into a joyful routine instead of a chore

They also influence each other:

Without good fundamentals, practice can reinforce bad habits.

Without consistent practice, fundamentals can’t take root.

Together, they are the foundation of everything else: creativity, performance, emotional expression, and yes, long-term commitment.

How Rising Tones Brings This to Life

1. We Start With What Matters

From the very first session, our teachers:

Set up the right physical posture and technique

Introduce small but structured exercises

Help students understand why these basics matter

Even in group formats (max 3 students), we maintain individual focus so everyone builds a solid foundation.

2. We Support Practice At Home

We know parents are busy and students can lose motivation. So we:

Set clear weekly goals that are doable and visible

Check in between lessons (for premium support students)

Celebrate consistency, not just milestones

We don’t want you to practice more. We want you to practice smarter.

For Parents Wondering Where to Begin

If you’re a parent, the best thing you can do for your child isn’t just signing them up for music lessons. It’s partnering with us to:

Embrace the power of early fundamentals

Help them build short practice into their routine (just like brushing teeth!)

Celebrate small wins along the way

For Adult Students: It’s never too late. The same rules apply:

Start with the right foundation

Commit to small, regular practice

Even 15 minutes a day can shift your confidence and creativity within weeks.

Final Thoughts: Simple, Not Easy The truth is, most people don’t quit music because they didn’t love it. They quit because the process wasn’t structured in a way that supported sustainable growth.

With the right foundation and the habit of small, consistent effort, progress is not only possible - it’s inevitable.

So whether you’re a parent looking for a long-term musical home for your child, or an adult finally ready to reconnect with music, know this:

It doesn’t take talent. It takes fundamentals and a little bit of daily love.

We’ll take care of the rest.