Yes, It’s the Same Song Again!
If you’ve ever had a child learning an instrument in your home, you know the sound of repetition. The same scales, the same few bars, the same song… again and again. It’s enough to make even the most supportive parent long for a good set of noise-canceling headphones.
Trust me—I’ve been on both sides. I was the kid hammering away on a piano while the rest of my house quietly lost its mind, and I’m the parent now who totally gets how hard that can be. Repetition is not flashy. It’s not glamorous. But it is how you get good.
And it’s not just practice—it shows up in performance, too. Many bands, orchestras, pop groups, even church musicians play the same material over and over again.
In 2001, I spent a year playing at Tokyo DisneySea in a show called Mystic Rhythms. It was part of the launch of what was then the most expensive theme park ever built. The show ran five times a day, five days a week, for a full year. Same material. Same choreography. Same music.
And you know what? I never got bored. Because within that repetition was a kind of discipline I had never experienced before. A chance to lock in with my bandmates. To focus not just on getting the notes right, but on making the same thing better every time. Could I play that passage smoother? Hit that cue tighter? Listen more deeply?
It was like chasing the perfect show. And while that may not exist—especially in something as subjective as music—what does exist is the ability to grow through the repetition. You learn how to concentrate. You develop stamina. You build muscle memory and a deeper relationship with your craft.
So whether your kid is repeating a two-bar phrase until it drives the dog under the couch, or you’re grinding out your own version of “just one more take,” know that repetition isn’t punishment, it’s the neccesary pathway. And sometimes, it leads to unexpected places. Like an orchestra pit in Japan, or a surprise moment when it all clicks for the first time on stage.
Repetition may not be exciting. But what comes from it often is.
If you're looking for piano lessons in Raleigh, or just want to talk about helping your kid push through the grind in a way that feels good for everyone involved, I’m here for it.
Sometimes, doing the same thing over and over again is exactly how something new begins.
A photo of the impressive stage from Mystic Rhythms, Tokyo. The show told the story of the interactions between the spirits of Earth, Wind, Fire, and water. I was a member of the opening cast and the show went on to become the longest running show in Disney Theme-park history.
A photo of the platform on which I performed 5 shows a day, everyday, for 1 year! I loved getting to know and play with my Japanese counterparts in the 6 piece band that brought the music of the show to life.
