Get Better at Your Instrument WITHOUT Practicing!
08/June/2009
Beating your head against the wall? Put an end to endless, frustrating practice sessions with these invaluable techniques.
This article is only a partial transcript. Listen to the Podcast.
Often when students come to the studio each week, they seem frustrated that they have been practicing but are not getting the results that they want. Almost always, this is because of HOW they’re practicing. That’s why as teachers, particularly at our school, we try to emphasize a certain way of practicing.
Almost always, the student is confused about either the rhythms, the notes, or the fingerings of the piece they are playing. These are all problems that will not be solved efficiently by practicing rote repetition (mindlessly repeating over and over n the instrument).
Here are four simple but life-changing techniques to help any student.
These steps should be mastered BEFORE you play on the instrument.
1. Clap and count the rhythms.
2. Name the notes aloud fluently to anything you are going to practice.
3. Write in, and/or name the fingerings before you practice.
4. Listen to the recording of the music you are playing
If in your practice you will start to do these things you are going to get results because you will no longer be confused about what you’re trying to play. You need to solve the confusion in your mind BEFORE you practice your instrument.
I strongly encourage any student, from beginner to advanced, to try this, and include it as part of your practice.
I’m sure that if you do, you are going to be more efficient with the time that you’re spending, and you’re just going to play a lot better!
I will continue on this train of thought with further articles, because learning to practice well is EVERYTHING in terms of learning to play music. There are tons of students that have been playing music for 20 or 30 years and really don’t ever improve or get what they want out of it, regardless of talent or drive, because they haven’t learned to practice.
They haven’t learned how to learn.
Good Luck!
Joshua Brown, M.M.
Allegro School of Music
Often when students come to the studio each week, they seem frustrated that they have been practicing but are not getting the results that they want. Almost always, this is because of HOW they’re practicing. That’s why as teachers, particularly at our school, we try to emphasize a certain way of practicing.
Almost always, the student is confused about either the rhythms, the notes, or the fingerings of the piece they are playing. These are all problems that will not be solved efficiently by practicing rote repetition (mindlessly repeating over and over n the instrument).
Here are four simple but life-changing techniques to help any student.
These steps should be mastered BEFORE you play on the instrument.
1. Clap and count the rhythms.
2. Name the notes aloud fluently to anything you are going to practice.
3. Write in, and/or name the fingerings before you practice.
4. Listen to the recording of the music you are playing
If in your practice you will start to do these things you are going to get results because you will no longer be confused about what you’re trying to play. You need to solve the confusion in your mind BEFORE you practice your instrument.
I strongly encourage any student, from beginner to advanced, to try this, and include it as part of your practice.
I’m sure that if you do, you are going to be more efficient with the time that you’re spending, and you’re just going to play a lot better!
I will continue on this train of thought with further articles, because learning to practice well is EVERYTHING in terms of learning to play music. There are tons of students that have been playing music for 20 or 30 years and really don’t ever improve or get what they want out of it, regardless of talent or drive, because they haven’t learned to practice.
They haven’t learned how to learn.
Good Luck!
Joshua Brown, M.M.
Allegro School of Music
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