Practicing

 

Here are three simple things to do to help make practice time count:

1) Make a Schedule: Choose days and times during the week when you will practice. Make sure it works with your regular schedule for other homework, dinner, clubs/activities, and times that other people in the house need quiet. A practice session can be as short as 10 minutes. Do it at least 4 times a week.

2) Break it Down: You can’t work on everything at once. Choose short sections of your assignment to work on at one time. Try to connect these sections as you get better at them. Eventually you will play the whole piece.

3) Go Slowly and Repeat: Play your music as slowly as you need to be able to think it through and play it correctly. If you make mistakes, go slower. If it seems too easy, you can try going a little faster. Repeating it the same way equals learning, so make it the correct way!