Knowing what to practice on your instrument can be difficult. This is particularly the case if you are teaching yourself and thus do not have a teacher to guide you. Below are some music practicing tips our music instructors give to students. The tips apply to any musical instrument you may be learning. Follow these and you should find yourself progressing very quickly. So, here are our music practicing tips:
Aim to practice at least 4 times a week
Make practice a part of your routine. Determine when is the best time for you to practice. For example, if you are an evening person, do your practice before going to bed or before you become sleepy.
Do your warm-ups
Warm-ups are necessary for you to become a good player. They make your hands flexible and reduce the risk of you getting hand injuries.
Practice at least 30 minutes/4 times a week
Below is a practice schedule that our music instructors suggest to students in our Sutherland Shire music lessons. Follow it in the order stated.
- Devote 10 minutes to warm-up exercises. These will depend on the instrument you are learning and your current level.
- Dedicate 10 minutes to the piece you are learning in your lessons. Remember: you do not have to practice the piece from beginning to end every time you practice. Instead, spend time concentrating on the sections of the piece you find tricky. Play through these sections slowly until you feel you have mastered them.
- Reward yourself! Learning a musical instrument should be fun! So spend the last 10 minutes of your practice doing such things as playing songs you like, writing songs, improvising etc.
If limited for time, practice 15 minutes 4 times a week and divide each of the 3 points above into 5 minute blocks instead of 10 minutes. Failing that, any practice is better than no practice at all. Please note also that a practicing schedule for young children will likely need more parental involved.