How do I practice effectively?
As a musician, I have learned the true value of hard work and effective practice, and I know that it pays off in the end. I also know, however, that practicing can be hard work, and that it is very easy for a student to get tired of practicing an instrument when he/she "just doesn't get it." Therefore, I think it is important that everybody should keep these handy reminders in mind when practicing their instruments.
1. Always remember to warm-up at the start: This will help get you back into the feel of playing your instrument from the very start of the practice session, which will lead to a much more relaxed practice session in general. Being relaxed is incredibly important when playing a musical instrument- if you are filled with tension while playing, this will lead to a tense sound, and eventually to long term injury.
2. "Slow is the fastest way": Sometimes we just have to accept that the music that we are playing is difficult. Not being able to play certain passages while sight-reading a piece should never discourage us from working on it, but we must remember that it may take days, weeks, or even months to adequately handle the challenges that may be presented in a piece. Taking a difficult section of a piece as slowly as it needs to be is an important step in learning the music, and with some patience from the musician, this passage will improve in the long run. Just remember to take it slow form the start!
3. Make a "technique checklist": Make a list of important aspects of playing, making sure to look at it regularly when playing. This list may include posture, left hand shape, bow hold, intonation, and any other technical elements of playing that you feel are important in playing your instrument. After practicing a certain passage from your music, go over this checklist, looking at the aspects that you feel went well, and what you think needs improving in the future.
4. Use a metronome as much as possible: Having a steady tempo is always important when playing, and using a metronome during some point of the practice routine (often on scales, a bowing exercise, or during work on a fast passage) will help immensely in the long run when it comes to maintaining as steady of a tempo as possible.
5. Record yourself: Occasionally listening to a recording of yourself playing can be a great way to self-diagnose issues that may occur with your playing; these often include issues that are tough to hear while you are actually playing. Try to listen to yourself from the standpoint of an outsider, thinking about what you might say to somebody else if you heard him/her play the way you are.
6. Practice does not make perfect: practice makes permanant. This means that a students should not expect to sound amazing simply because he or she practices 4 hours a day. Instead, the small motions that the student makes repeadetly in his/her playing will stick for the long term, which often may cause the bad habits that are being executed during the practice session to become engrained in his/her technique during any performing experience. On the same token, however, a student can greatly improve if he/she learns the right way to execute certain motions during the practice routine, which can lead to vast amounts of improvement in the end. This, in turn, is one of the most important aspects of taking private lessons; a teacher must be able effectively communicate the right way of practicing something to the student, giving him/her a particular way in which he/she can practice.
1. Always remember to warm-up at the start: This will help get you back into the feel of playing your instrument from the very start of the practice session, which will lead to a much more relaxed practice session in general. Being relaxed is incredibly important when playing a musical instrument- if you are filled with tension while playing, this will lead to a tense sound, and eventually to long term injury.
2. "Slow is the fastest way": Sometimes we just have to accept that the music that we are playing is difficult. Not being able to play certain passages while sight-reading a piece should never discourage us from working on it, but we must remember that it may take days, weeks, or even months to adequately handle the challenges that may be presented in a piece. Taking a difficult section of a piece as slowly as it needs to be is an important step in learning the music, and with some patience from the musician, this passage will improve in the long run. Just remember to take it slow form the start!
3. Make a "technique checklist": Make a list of important aspects of playing, making sure to look at it regularly when playing. This list may include posture, left hand shape, bow hold, intonation, and any other technical elements of playing that you feel are important in playing your instrument. After practicing a certain passage from your music, go over this checklist, looking at the aspects that you feel went well, and what you think needs improving in the future.
4. Use a metronome as much as possible: Having a steady tempo is always important when playing, and using a metronome during some point of the practice routine (often on scales, a bowing exercise, or during work on a fast passage) will help immensely in the long run when it comes to maintaining as steady of a tempo as possible.
5. Record yourself: Occasionally listening to a recording of yourself playing can be a great way to self-diagnose issues that may occur with your playing; these often include issues that are tough to hear while you are actually playing. Try to listen to yourself from the standpoint of an outsider, thinking about what you might say to somebody else if you heard him/her play the way you are.
6. Practice does not make perfect: practice makes permanant. This means that a students should not expect to sound amazing simply because he or she practices 4 hours a day. Instead, the small motions that the student makes repeadetly in his/her playing will stick for the long term, which often may cause the bad habits that are being executed during the practice session to become engrained in his/her technique during any performing experience. On the same token, however, a student can greatly improve if he/she learns the right way to execute certain motions during the practice routine, which can lead to vast amounts of improvement in the end. This, in turn, is one of the most important aspects of taking private lessons; a teacher must be able effectively communicate the right way of practicing something to the student, giving him/her a particular way in which he/she can practice.