Practicing Tips
Practice
Plan
By Eric DuBuissan
(edited by Lee Hicks)
Preparation
1. Physical
preparation: prepare your practice area – instrument, metronome,
tuner, stand, chair, music, watch pencil written lesson plan, etc…
2. Mental
preparation: take a few slow deep breaths, relax, focus on your
practice material and what you want to accomplish, block out unrelated
thoughts
Warm-Up
Embouchure
Dynamic range and wind
control
Tonguing
Vibrato
Technique
Finger discipline on scales,
interval studies, arpeggios, etc…
Reading
Practice reading music that
is at or below your technical ability – practice the process or reading.
Previously completed method books are ideal for developing reading
skills.
Etudes
From appropriate method
books.
Repertoire
Audition Material
Solo and Ensemble Literature
Band literature
Wrap-Up
1. Self
evaluate – How well did you focus during the practice session?
What areas of your practice session do you need more work on in your
next practice session?
2. Make
an appointment for your next practice session. Schedule the time,
length and place for your next practice session.
Clean your instrument and put
away your practice materials so they will be easy to get together for
your next practice session.
NOTE:
War-up, technique and reading develop your music skills. Etudes
and repertoire develop your musicianship.
ROUTINE –
WATCH THE CLOCK – STAY FOCUSED
Session Duration 60 minutes
30 minutes
20 minutes
PREPARATION
2 minutes
2 minutes
2 minutes
WARM-UP
10 minutes
5 minutes
3 minutes
TECHNIQUE
10 minutes
5 minutes
3 minutes
READING
10 minutes
5 minutes
3 minutes
BREAK
5 minutes
none
none
ETUDES
10 minutes
5 minutes
3 minutes
REPERTOIRE
10 minutes
5 minutes
3 minutes
WRAP-UP
3 minutes
3 minutes
3 minutes
Note that
a 30-minute routine will reduce your development by 50% while only 20
minutes will give you only 1/3 the progress of a full hour per day.
Also, keep in mind the following two points:
If needed, you can increase
the time in one area by reducing time in others.
Or, if needed you can
alternately omit reading or etudes or repertoire if you need more time
to develop your basic skills. But, you should always do the
warm-up and technique just as an athlete would before a training
session.
22 Points for Enhancing Your Practice
1) Your primary practice goal
should be to “develop the musician.” As your music skills grow
your musicianship will grow.
2) Practice regularly and
plan practice time carefully.
3) RELAX! Take a few deep
breaths. Free your mind of anxiety and outside distractions.
4) USE A METRONOME! A
tuner is also helpful.
5) Develop your mental
control to stay focused on the task at hand.
6) Think the rhythm before
you begin playing it.
7) Think a piece through
without playing it.
8) Think ten times – play
one.
9) Be fanatically careful not
to make mistakes either in notes or rhythm.
10) Resist the temptation to
play faster and faster. Use the metronome as an external
discipline.
11) Break a piece into
shorter sections for practice.
12) In the early stages of
learning the rate of forgetting is rapid. The maxim “Little and
Often” is very important.
13) Occasionally begin at the
last section of the piece, then the next to last section, and so on.
14) For the first few days,
repeat sections 4 to 8 times. Join the sections together after
they are learned.
15) Try counting in rhythmic
patterns, not beats – especially if your playing is lacking in movement.
16) Trills and tremolos
should aim for regularity before speed.
17) Listen for resonance and
tone quality – not noise.
18) Perform always – even
when reading. Try to express something; don’t just “run through” a
piece.
19) The best way to avoid
being nervous is to really know the music. Have confidence in your
ability.
20) You cannot control the
unexpected so don’t worry about it.
21) Let the discipline you
develop through the study of music apply to other areas of your life.
22) IF YOU CANNOT PLAT IT
SLOW, YOU CANNOT PLAY IT FAST!