Practice Tips

Practice Tips for Students

• How long to practice

Try to practice every day for a minimum number of minutes that we set at your lesson.  Aim for one minute of practice daily for every minute of weekly lesson time. For example, if your lesson is 45 minutes, you should try to practice at least 45 minutes a day.  

• When to practice

Try to have a set time of day when you practice.  You can divide your practice time into short segments--say two 15-minute bits.

It's good to practice right after your lesson, so you remember what you’ve learned.  If time is short that day, just play some of the hard parts to refresh your memory.

• Concentrate

How you practice is far more important than the number of minutes you practice.  Practicing mindlessly usually does more harm than good. Concentrate,  focusing on the spots that need work, and you'll get much more done in a shorter time.

• Read your notebook

Before you start, re-read what I’ve written in your notebook, and think about what you want to accomplish in this practice session.

• Inspect the score

Before learning a new piece, read the score and notice every detail you can find:  key signature, time signature, repeating patterns in melody or rhythm, identical phrases, and dynamic markings.  Look up words you don't know.

• Tricky spots first

Before playing an entire piece, play the tricky spots SLOWLY and carefully, concentrating on what you’re doing.  These will be sections we have marked together--or you can mark your own.  Play them five times IN A ROW without mistakes before moving on--then reward yourself.  Or have fun by turning it into a game...  

• Games

Here are a couple of suggestions. These two games, and many more, are from the book The Practice Revolution by Philip Johnston.  Don't forget to reward yourself when you win!

• The Great Race:  Have a real or imaginary opponent. Roll a die, either real or imaginary.  The number that comes up is the number of times you have to play a hard section with no mistakes.  If you can do this, you get that number of points.  If you make even a tiny mistake, your opponent gets the points!  First one to reach 30 points wins.

• Tic-Tac-Toe: For this you need an actual opponent.  Make a tic-tac-toe board.  Play through the hard section once.  If you play without any mistakes, you get to place an X or an O.  If you make the slightest mistake, your opponent places the X or O.  

• Look for Patterns

Look for identical sections--you don’t always have to practice them both. 

• Have entry points

Practice starting at various spots in the piece that we have agreed on together.  These entry points or "safety ramps" are places you can jump to when you're performing, in case of a memory slip.  

• Spend your time wisely

Limit the amount of time you spend on pieces you already know well (polishing shiny objects), unless you’re about to perform them.  Use your precious practice time on the pieces, sections and technique that need the most improvement. 

• Have fun! 

Think of adjectives that describe the mood of your piece or section, and then play it with that feeling.  For example:  enchanted, exuberant, delightful, majestic, velvety, longing, sarcastic...the possibilities are endless.

If you have an electronic keyboard, you can have fun by playing your piece in all kinds of settings.  Play your baroque piece in harpsichord setting, for example, or your Halloween piece in pipe organ setting.  This awesome suggestion was contributed by Aidan and Seth Carter, and their mom Karen.

Most importantly, remember that the point of all this is to enjoy playing music that you love.  Every so often, just relax and make music from your heart, trusting your musical self and the work that you've done.

Practice Tips for Parents

• Your support is crucial

Numerous studies indicate that parental support is a critical factor in a child’s ability to successfully learn to play and to enjoy music. You don’t need to be a musician in order to support and encourage your child’s music learning.  Here are some ways in which you can help your child achieve his or her highest musical potential:

• Help your child get started

If your child is a beginner, stay to observe the lesson whenever possible.  At home, help your beginner child to get organized and establish a practice routine.  

• Know how your child should be practicing

Read your child’s notebook to see what practice instructions I’ve written down, and to make sure s/he is practicing the things I’ve asked for...not spending an inordinate amount of time on pieces that already sound brilliant (“polishing shiny objects”)!  Please feel free to call me if you have any questions about how your child should be practicing.

• Gently steer

Help your child schedule practice into his or her day.  Keep an eye on your child's practice sessions and help him/her remember what needs to be covered.  Praise every small success--playing a piece expressively, practicing slowly, perfecting a difficult passage, etc.

• Small steps

It’s best to focus on one thing at a time when helping your child; for example, focus on one hand, or fingering, or rhythm. Encourage your child to work on perfecting short, manageable sections of each piece, rather than playing the piece in its entirety every time.

• Keep it positive

The single most important thing you can do for your child's musical progress is to be genuinely interested in, and enthusiastic about,  what they are doing. Praise their progress whenever you can. 

• Help motivate

Some students are more internally motivated than others. External rewards--computer time, edible treats,  objects that your child craves, etc.--can be excellent motivators. You can give these for practicing every day, practicing without complaining, practicing without being reminded, practicing more than required, accepting help from parents graciously, playing in a recital...the choices are endless. Of course, the most authentic and lasting rewards are internal--feeling proud of one’s playing as a result of having practiced effectively.  But sometimes it takes external rewards to jump-start a feeling of accomplishment.

• Make it fun

Play the games with your child that are described above under Practice Tips for Students--or even better, make up your own games together.