

Musicianship Mastery with David Lane
David Lane
Do you want to be a great musician? A well-rounded musician? Maybe you’re already a good musician, and you want to take that next step. To do that, you need to be able to sight-read well, play by ear, compose or improvise, understand the art of practice, and be versatile in many other ways. Musicianship Mastery (formerly known as The Musician Toolkit) explores these tools, how to improve them, and how you can apply them to a variety of gigs and musical careers whether you’re a professional musician or a committed artist who makes your income outside of music. Join us on a quest to improve your musicianship and to make you the most well-rounded musician you can be!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Nov 24, 2025 • 22min
How to Hear Music While Reading the Score
A very handy skill for any musician to develop is the ability to look at written sheet music and "hear" what it sounds like in your head. It's a skill that takes time, but this episode will outline all the steps you can take to develop this ability.
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps music teachers with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling. Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Nov 17, 2025 • 20min
What Happens as a Musician When You Start Saying No
One of the biggest things that musicians do in all levels, but especially professionals, is say "yes" way too much. There's a time to say "yes" a lot, and I describe that in this episode. However, being strategic and limited with your "yes" while saying "no" to everything else is what allows for growth and focus. In this episode, you can learn of 8 things that happen when you say "no".
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps music teachers with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling. Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Nov 10, 2025 • 41min
Embracing the Art of Music (with Jennifer Rosenfeld)
If you're a professional musician, it can be hard to separate the idea that there's this part of your schedule where you make music just for YOU. It might be music you're composing, or an ambitious piece you're learning to play. You might make your income as a musician and you might have a career that has nothing to do with music. Regardless, you can and should take time to explore music without any regard to its commercial benefit.
Jennifer Rosenfeld is a business coach who has worked with musicians, as well as a pianist and composer. You can find out more about her and her work at https://www.jenniferrosenfeld.com/
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private music teachers with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling. Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Nov 3, 2025 • 10min
Advanced Projects from Listening to Just One Piece
Analytical Listening is one of the most important skills for any musician. Take it to the next level by implementing any 1 of these 5 advanced projects while listening to just one piece of music.
Other Episodes mentioned:
20 Questions to Help You Get More Out of Listening
Scales, Modes, and How to Use Them
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps music teachers with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling. Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Oct 27, 2025 • 24min
Why You're Not Making Progress on Your Instrument, and How to Fix It
If you think you're practicing well but still not making progress in your musical skill, here are 10 possible reasons and their solutions.
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps private music teachers with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling. Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Oct 20, 2025 • 1h 3min
Embracing Joy in Making Music (with Eric Branner)
This episode is a broad conversation between friends, but centers around the topics of finding joy in your growth as a musician, time management, practice and mindset, as well as what it means to be a human artist in the digital age. We also have some talk for those getting started with teaching.
Eric Branner is the CEO of Fons, a platform for music teachers I regularly have listed at the bottom of my show notes. Follow the Fons Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/fonsfamily
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1
This episode is sponsored by Fons, an online platform that helps music teachers with smooth, automated assistance such as securing timely automatic payments and scheduling. Click here for more information or to begin your free trial.

Oct 13, 2025 • 19min
What Musicianship Is and How to Develop It
What is musicianship? Specifically, what does it mean when we say someone has "good musicianship"? This episode explores the question while reviewing all of the musicianship tools that inspired this podcast in the first place.
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

Oct 6, 2025 • 31min
Designing Your Musical Life for Success as a Working Musician
With so many ways to express yourself as a musician, it can be hard to know how to get started. If you'd like to become a working musician, either part-time or full-time, this episode goes over some of your options and presents a strategy for how to build your musical life.
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

Sep 29, 2025 • 44min
Succeeding in Music While Living With Chronic Illness (with Jastin Artis)
Practicing well is hard to do every day just because of the mental focus and discipline it requires. How much more difficult is it when you add a physical challenge like chronic pain or other illness? Jastin Artis was diagnosed with fibromyalgia in 2019, and had to learn how to function before he could eventually thrive. He shares here his tactics and mindset for moving forward despite not having a body that wants to cooperate.
Jastin helps other hip hop, R&B, pop and artists of other genres with the business side of music at A&R In Your Pocket. All of his info can be found here: https://jastinartis.com/
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1

Sep 22, 2025 • 10min
Building Your Staircase of Musical Goals
4 episodes prior to this episode, I talked about creating a 5-year plan as a musician. Although we touched on how to take that backwards into shorter-term goals, this is a follow-up to focus on exactly how to think backwards so that you can build your staircase of musical goals that starts with the very first step: today!
Featured episode mentioned: https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit/episode/757e74ca/whats-your-5-year-plan-as-a-musician
Also mentioned: https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit/episode/7300027b/what-i-got-wrong-about-quarterly-goals
Musicianship Mastery is formerly known as The Musician Toolkit.
Let me know your thoughts on this episode as a voice message to possibly share on a future episode at https://www.speakpipe.com/MusicianToolkit
If you enjoyed this, please give it a rating and review on the podcast app of your choice. You can find all episodes of this podcast at https://www.davidlanemusic.com/toolkit
You can follow David Lane AND the Musician Toolkit podcast on Facebook @DavidMLaneMusic, on Instagram and TikTok @DavidLaneMusic, and on YouTube @davidlanemusic1


