The Power of Practice

What would happen if you sat down and gave it a shot?

If you asked my parents growing up if I was a good student, they would say yes. Had you asked them if I was good at practicing…it would have been a resounding no. Growing up in a musical family I believed I could get away with only working on things in school and for the most part it worked. In college I wished I took the time to learn my instruments better. However the past is the past and now I spend my time paying it forward to my students. If you struggle with “how to practice” or “what to practice” here are a few tips from me to you; now that I know better.

How to Practice: There is no “one size fits all” for practicing. Especially considering, everyone learns different.

The base structure is 3 days a week, 15 minutes each day for beginners and 4+ days a week, 30+ minutes each day for more advanced students. The more technique, songs, and instruments you learn; the more time goes into working on your skills. If that sounds like a lot of practice time, break up your practice schedule. If you have three songs to memorize, a new scale to learn and music theory to review; take two days to work on the memorization, one for the scale and one for theory. Boom, 4 days done.

As a creature of habit who thrives on routine, I now plan specific days/times to practice. Otherwise a week has gone by and only one day of practice was complete. I find after a long day, I would rather play for fun, watch something or read. Because I'm more productive in the mornings, that's when I schedule my practice. Because I can't concentrate for long periods of time, I break up the half hour into 15 minute chunks. Because I play more than one instrument, I split my time in the week between them. Find what works for you and your learning style.

What to practice: I have to admit; sometimes I get sucked into a social media hole, due to lack of structure or lack of practice ideas. These are the ideas I give to my students at the end of lessons.

1. Technique: this covers scales, exercises, finger placement for music, metronome timing, tuning, etc. These are all the little extras that give your song or performance a boost.

2. Song Material: go over difficult spots in your music until they're easier, work on your sight reading by trying new songs, practice continuing through difficult parts instead of stopping, memorization, focusing on one hand or one run or one chord, etc.

3. Connection to music: Spend time listening to other artists in the genre you're learning. Work on your emotional connection to the music. Read through the lyrics and find parallels between what the artist is saying and your real life.

4. Timing: though it is fun to rush through songs and practice sessions, TAKE YOUR TIME. Play at a thinking speed so you can play the whole song, instead of stopping when you can't play the entire piece at performance speed. Repeat after me IF YOU PRACTICE STOPPING, YOU'LL PERFOM STOPPING. It's easy to get choked up if you're underprepared

5. Book work: it may seem boring now, playing simple songs by long dead people. However you can thank me when you can track your progress later. If you're at a boring spot in your learning book and need a break, go back in the book and play a song that used to be hard. You'll see.

For Parents: If you aren't sure how to encourage your child, start with reminders.

It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. If you can be the reminder that has them sitting with their guitar or at their piano or listening to music, that's helpful. If you don't understand what they're learning, be a good teammate and have them show you what their working through, be encouraging when they're having a tough time. Showing up and being part of their musical journey makes a world of difference.

Finally, when you or your student are stuck: Music teachers don't get into teaching for the fame and fortune. They often care deeply and have found a calling. Reach out, ask for guidance.