This week's challenge: Open the sheet below
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World-class violinist Hilary Hahn Practicing |
Read the strategies below to use while practicing!
Chunk it - play through the entire piece and identify the “chunks” of the piece that are problematic. Isolate the problem areas first before restarting the etude. For example, there might be a tricky passage from m. 12-18 or an awkward fingering in m. 22. Use chunk it to solve these issues. Work on the isolated passage(s) without worrying about the rest of the pieces.
Loop the chunk - the stimulus you send to the brain must be repeated over and over again - exactly the same way - to build strong muscle memory. Your brain an muscles need consistency and repetition for musical success. Once you have isolated measures for chunk practice, loop each segment 12-15 times and focus on your own awareness f the passage. Each segment is only 2-3 seconds long and could be practiced for three minutes’ total time. This leaves another minute for a complete run of the piece.
Learn it backwards - play the last measure or two (a very small chunk); next backup slightly adding another very small chunk Try to fight the urge to practice large chunks of music such as the entire last line or phrase. This strategy is designed to provide deeper musical insight by adding very small segments at a time - slow and steady
Repeat after me - one of the most powerful efficient practice strategies is to search for repeated material in the music. Once you discover them, label the excerpts (the repeated measures) so you spend time focusing on other areas in the music rather than practicing the repeated sections more than necessary. Practice efficiency will improve, and it is possible that you will gain a deeper understanding behind the construction of the music.
Video Assessment - video record yourself on your device playing a short excerpt or etude. Turn off the sound and then watch the recording. Use the following questions to guide your assessment:
Puzzle Pieces - a fun an interesting way to practice new music. First, photocopy the music. Next determine ways to “cut up” the music into phrases. Look for expected phrase lengths (often four to eight measures of music) or natural starting and stopping points in the music. Then, literally, cut the music into the pieces that you identified and mix up the pieces so the music is completely out of order. Selected one piece of the puzzle and practice that phrase until it is very clean technically and contains musical shape. Don’t move to the next puzzle piece until the first piece is in great shape. Once you are satisfied, select a new puzzle piece and begin the process again until all of the pieces have been practiced and refined.
Blindfold - this practice strategy is designed to heighten your auditory send and improve the “feel” of the music by removing the visual distractions of the printed page. Obviously the music must be memorized, it works best when you use it on scales or daily warm-ups. Simply close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then, begin to play and focus all of your energy toward your auditory sense as well as sense of touch.
Audio Assessment - Nearly everyone carries a recording device in their pocket (mobile device), it takes seconds to open an app and record our playing. A short 30-second example is plenty to provide good feedback on our playing. Listen to the recording and focus on one question at a time. Decide if you need to alter something in your playing before moving to the next question:
To Beat or Not to Beat - Appropriate metronome use in practice sessions:
1. Sight-reading: Before playing, set the metronome to an appropriate tempo and "finger-click" the music along with the metronome. Always, always sight-read with a consistent pulse. A good sense of pulse is integrated immediately and avoids bad habits (such as slowing down in the "hard parts") saving hours of practice time.The important thing to remember is that hte selected tempo must be appropriate - one that allows you to play with correct notes, rhythms and control (and that might be significantly slower than the marked tempo).
2. Technical problems - When facing a difficult technical passage, the metronome provides consistent guidance in technique development. Find a tempo that allows you to play through the entire selection with accurate control. As sessions progress, gradually increase in the tempo until the desired performance tempo is achieved. Avoid jumping ahead too quickly. For example, if you can play through the selection at 80 bpm, then increase the tempo to 84 bpm (not 100 bpm)!
3. Consistency - being human, we vary tempo slightly from one practice session to the next, but this is not ideal for technical development. Consider "checking in" with a metronome each practice session, and always check audio and video recordings for tempo consistency. Sometimes we simply get frustrated in practice sessions because we are going much faster than we did the previous session. The metronome always helps to keep us consistent.
Slower is Faster - Going slower is a faster way to learn. Find a tempo that allows you to play every note nad rhythm accurately - a perfect technical performance - on the very first try. This might feel a little painful at first. The brain always records the correct version and mistakes never creep into the muscle memory system, and as a result, you can perform the music with complete accuracy at ever increasing tempos over the next several practice sessions (without mistakes).
Rhythm Variation - Altering the rhythm of the music is one of the simplest ways to reinforce technical passages. This practice strategy is easy to integrate and allows musicians to refocus and keep practice sessions fresh. Vary the original rhythm in 3-4 different ways (for example, short-long, long-short, triplets, 1+a 2+a, 1e+ 2e+). Simply practice each rhythmic variation 2-3 times until they are flawless. Once you varied the original rhythm 3-4 ways, return to the original passage and practice the excerpt in context. Consider using a metronome throughout the process to monitor progress and maintain consistent tempo.
Pencil Power - Professional musicians know how important it is to "get it right." After all, their job is on the line. Markings help them digest and learn the music more quickly and efficiently. You must have a sharp pencil (and a few pencils sitting around would not hurt). Then, use the pencil to mark important items of note. At minimum, the markings might include: Current tempo markings, Key signature mistakes (that happen more than once in practice), Fingerings, Phrase lengths and/or climax points, After identifying the form of the etude or solo, mark important sections and transition points. Integration into practice:
1. A pencil must be ready at the beginning of every practice session. Do not start a session without a pencil or you simply will not mark items as they surface during the session.
2. Stop practicing the moment you think about something that could be marked in the score. Just stop and mark it! Don't wait!
3. After several practice sessions on a specific etude or solo spend a few minutes looking through the music and marking additional items like phrases and climax points. Then, begin practicing.
Singing in the Car - Maybe you sing at the top of your lungs and “perform” like no one is listening in the car. There is no fear of judgment, no worries about singing with good tone or perfect rhythm, we just wail! It is fun, relaxing, and probably a fairly musical performance. Try this when you practice. The point of this is to encourage musicians to push their comfort zone to the very edge. We need to perform with a sense of exuberance that is rarely found in the typical practice room. You have a musical license and need to use it whenever possible. There are certain rules of the road, but no one is telling you how to get from point A to point B. Don’t wait for someone to suggest musical ideas - instead , allow your musical license to take over. You know how to drive the musical car.
Supermodel - Identify two or three “supermodels” on your instrument. Listen to a recording made by one of your supermodels; ideally a recording of a ipiece that you are currently learning. Listen to each phrase, inflection, tone. Copy the interpretation. See if you can match it exactly. As you listen to the recording, ask yourself questions about the performance.
1. What feeling is communicated in this recording? How did they achieve that feeling?
2. What tempo was selected? Why?
3. How are the phrases shaped (including rise/fall, length)? Why?
4. Was the composer’s intent observed? Why or why not?
3x perfect - Scientists have discovered that 3 repetitions followed by ten minutes of rest produced significantly higher outcomes. Try to have “other” things to do in addition to music practice. Get everything set for a practice session, warmup, and play through a song three times. Next set a timer for 10 minutes and go clean your room or do a different task (homework, etc.). Then, play the selection again three times. Repeat the process one more time for a total of about 60 mins. Once complete, move on to other practicing or stop.
Phrase it - Make a clean copy of your music. On the copy, use liquid erase rand remove all dynamics. Make another copy of the copy - one that is clean for your markings. Refer to the original and make artistic decisions about the music. Mark your phrases in a new way, which could be a long curved arrow over the phrase in a “rainbow” shape marking the top of the phrase (usually the highest note), and indicating where you will take any breaths.
Commercial Method - Get your instrument ready before you sit down and turn on the TV. Make a plan for the session like practicing scales with a metronome or working on a short segment of music, whatever needs repetitive practice. List 3-4 things that might be accomplished. Watch TV and when your favorite program shifts to a commercial break, start practicing! You will be amazed at what you can accomplish, and there is no need to feel guilty about watching TV anymore!
Duets with you - Get a duet book and copy some from Ms. May. See if you can schedule a 15-20 minute duet session with another musician. If not, record yourself playing one line of the music. Put your ear buds in and restart the recording you just made. Now, play the other line of the duet along with the recording - DUETS WITH YOU.
Stair Stepper - You have a desired performance tempo of 120. You begin practicing without the metronome searching for a tempo that allows you to play successfully with complete accuracy from beginning to end. This is your starting tempo (your base tempo) - the speed at which you can perform the etude with perfect technical skill.
For this example, we will say that you can perform the etude accurately at 88 bpm. Play through the passage several times with complete success at the base tempo. Fight the urge to increase speed. Accuracy comes first; speed comes second. At the second practice session, begin at the base tempo (again checking for accuracy). If all goes well, increase the tempo by four beats per minute. You are now at 92 bpm. Then, for the third run, drop the tempo to 90. The process continues and with each run of the etude, you achieve an accurate performance (or the tempo is too fast). After about 14 sessions, you have arrived at the performance tempo.
Company’s Comin’ - How to prepare for rehearsal with piano accompanist.
1. Listen to several recordings and focus on the accompanist part (not the solo part).
2. If you have piano skills, practice he piano part and record the accompaniment so you can play along with the recording a few times.
3. Ask your accompanist to record the part ahead of the first collaboration.
4. Utilize music software that can play the accompaniment and follow you.
If you use these strategies before your first rehearsal with the accompanist, the time spent with your accompanist will be more effective. You will have a stronger understanding of the interplay between the parts, and you will be more prepared for the collaboration sessions.
Thick Accent - This strategy shifts all of our focus to articulation. Strip the music of all articulation markings and play through the material with one consistent articulation (slur all the notes, for example). Next, play through the music with the opposite style. Work to develop consistency in the articulation and “over do it” to make the point. Finally, make a conscious choice about which articulations should be used when and where in the music.
TSP - TSP is an acronym for “Think It, Sing it, Play it.” Try this quick exercise… close your eyes and imagine that you are walking down a neighborhood sidewalk. Coming from behind you, you hear a large delivery truck diving down the street. Can you hear it in your voice? Now, try to mimic that sound with your voice. Try to sound exactly like the sound of the large truck. How close did you get to matching the sound in your head with your voice? This process is called audition - the foundation of musicianship.
Think about the first phrase in your music. How will you shape the line? Then, sing the line exactly the way you hear it in your mind with good musical shape. You do not need a highly trained voice to make this work, but you need to sing with confidence and expressiveness regardless of the actual tone quality produced. Now play the phrase exactly the way you practice in your mind and with your voice. Think it, Sing it, Play it. The results will speak for themselves.
World Record - Select a scale or technical passage that needs attention. Practice playing the excerpt perfectly over and ver again until the first mistake survaces. The mistake could be anything from a wrong note, a poor articulation, or an incorrect rhythm. Record the number of perfect repetitions (prior to the mistake). This Is your World Record. Now, start again and try to be a your record. This is not about speed. It is about perfect technique and repetitive practice.
Phone a Friend - At least once a month, or perhaps more often if possible, ask a fired to listen to your solo or etude and provide feedback about the performance. This is incredibly helpful as developing musicians. Then, you might play some duets before the session concludes. Consider making a brief list of questions that will guide the experience. Sample questions are below:
1. What do you notice about my fundamentals skills (posture, holding position, use of bow)
2. Could I improve my tone quality? How?
3. Do you sense a feeling of motion in the music/phrases?
4. Did I perform with good dynamic contrast?
5. What was the best part of the performance?
6. Where should I focus my practice moving forward?
Simon Says - In technical passages (16th notes), try adding a fermata every third or fourth note and pausing long enough to focus on a pure tone. Or, allow that note to receive two metronome clicks before moving to the next note. This process allows your eye to look ahead and prepare for what is ahead. Remember, building technique is about going slowly and playing without mistakes.
Only Notes - With this strategy, you learn a new piece of music by playing only the notes and ignoring the rhythms, dynamics and articulations. Select a rhythm that works for pitch accuracy and even out all of the written rhythms (for example, all eighth notes). The strategy removes one of the variables (rhythm) that can get in the way of initial learning while establishing excellent muscle memory.
Only Rhythms - After implementing Only Notes, try the opposite approach. Remove the notes and focus on the rhythm alone. You should be able to hear the notes after using only notes. Next, you want to be able to refine the rhythm with the distraction of notes. Developing musicians often reverse this process and work on the rhythm first with the notes coming second. This works fine in a large ensemble situation, but in my experience, it is far better for individuals to establish a good aural sense of the music and then layer the rhythm second. IF you find the rhythm to be rather basic in nature (and boring to practice on one pitch) challenge yourself to add articulations and dynamics.
Drone - Musicians must be incredibly flexible when it comes to pitch control. Musicians will turn to a tuner to help them get “in tune” and determine various tendencies on the instrument. Open an app on your mobile device (“Tonal Energy”) and select a pleasing electronic sound (tenor trombone?). Select “sustain” and then the tonic (root) pitch for the etude or scale that you plan to practice. Your ear and innate musical sense will take over, and you will start adjusting pitches immediately to match the drone.
Power Practice - A short, focused session that aims toward one goal. Each session is less than 10 minutes with many sessions spread throughout the day/week. This is a wonderful tool for working on:
1. Repetition (scales, tricky passages) - practice only the selection that needs attention. Nothing more.
2. Memorization - practice one small section of the music once or twice and then take a break. Come back to the same section hours later and repeat the process several times throughout a day.
3. Strength - rebuilding strength after injury-small sessions reduce fatigue and allow performance muscles to rebuild slowly.
4. Habit -Identify 2 or 3 cues for practice during the da and then practice for a quick 5-10 minutes.
Supervised Practice - If you have a musical role model nearby, ask them if you can observe one of their practice sessions. Take your journal to the session and log your thoughts while observing. Hopefully your role model/teacher will be interactive during the practice session and verbalize the processes they are using to practice. Plan some time at the end for discussion.
1. How does my teacher/mentor begin the session? Why?
2. Is there a plan for the practice session?
3. How does my teacher/mentor deal with problem areas?
4. What tools did my teacher/mentor use during the session?
5. What items served as distractions during the session?
A second way to integrate it is to ask your teacher to observe one (or more) of your practice sessions. Make this session interactive and ask questions as you work through the practice plan.
Practice Priorities - Focus on systems that allow you to prioritize important items that contribute toward long-term goals. Prioritization is one of the most valuable skills you can incorporate into practice. Allow 4-5 minutes after a practice session concludes to record a few items that need to be addressed in tomorrow’s practice session. After making the list, rank them in order of importance and you will be ready to start tomorrow’s practice session. It provides daily Practice Priorities to lead toward major accomplishments.
Reflection - Self-reflection requires individuals to shift perspectives from performer to evaluator. You are given the permission to analyze your own strengths and weaknesses. Write these answers in your journal. The answers often lead to great self-discovery and insightful ideas for your development as a musician. Make time for it and your musical development will increase exponentially.
Short-term reflection (Daily/Weekly)
1. What was the best part of my playing today (or this week)?
2. Where did I make the most progress? Why did that progress happen?
3. In what areas would I like to improve over the next few days/weeks?
4. What am I going to focus on in the next day or two?
5. Am I getting the help I need to make progress?
Long-Range Questions might include (months/year)
1. Has my practice routine led to improvement?
2. Should I change the way I am approaching practice?
3. Am I enjoying the music I am playing? Why?
4. Am I curious about certain music? What kind?
5. Where should I focus my practice energy over the next few months?
6. Who can help me achieve my goals?
Over practice - Use techniques that facilitate natural positions and movements. Take rest breaks and avoid use of arms/hands during breaks. Do not over practice. Start slowly especially as you build practice time. Avoid stress and tension (mental and emotional stress). Do not play through pain. Respect your physical requirements.
These ideas are intended to provide general advice for musicians (we are not medical experts). When dealing with injuries, consult a healthcare or mental health professional to address your specific situation. With careful attention to the physicals and mental demands of performing music, you can enjoy music for your entire life.
Enjoy the journey - Learn to dig a little deeper, make a commitment, and learn to enjoy the journey of making small improvements each day. There are different levels of commitment:
1. Participants enjoy the experience of getting together with friends and engaging in the events. Conscientious about rehearsal times, working to learn the music in rehearsal and interested in being a good section member. Likes music with a good beat.
2. Player/singer is a person who loves music because it give them a chance to play. Wants to play a lot and practices to achieve range and technique to represent a great sound whenever the player plays. Arrives early to practice his “licks” and wants great parts to play.
3. Musician plays well and shows up to rehearsals with part mastered. Loves chamber music and ensemble because of the opportunity for musical collaboration. Comes to rehearsal to learn everyone else’s part. Learning how to play by concentrating on intonation, articulation, phrasing, blend, balance and style. About listening, learning and collaborating with other musicians.
4. Artist has all the skills of the player and the musician but also is a creator. Comes to every rehearsal prepared in every way and leaves every rehearsal with new goals. Artist loves great music making and loves to bring expression and inspiration to the performance. Has imagination fueled by opportunity. Might come in a solo passage or an approach to style that amplifies the intent of the piece.
IT is about growing, listening, and surrounding oneself with great music, great books, great art, and great people. It is about informed intuition. Are you on the path toward artistry? One of the most important philosophies that you must adopt to be successful as a musician is to focus on the journey of music making. YOu must value the process of learning and focus less on comparing yourself to others. It is your path to artistry and your path alone. No one else can do the work for you. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!
Strategies are from "Practicing with Purpose - An Indispensable Resource to Increase Musical Proficiency" by David Kish
Loop the chunk - the stimulus you send to the brain must be repeated over and over again - exactly the same way - to build strong muscle memory. Your brain an muscles need consistency and repetition for musical success. Once you have isolated measures for chunk practice, loop each segment 12-15 times and focus on your own awareness f the passage. Each segment is only 2-3 seconds long and could be practiced for three minutes’ total time. This leaves another minute for a complete run of the piece.
Learn it backwards - play the last measure or two (a very small chunk); next backup slightly adding another very small chunk Try to fight the urge to practice large chunks of music such as the entire last line or phrase. This strategy is designed to provide deeper musical insight by adding very small segments at a time - slow and steady
Repeat after me - one of the most powerful efficient practice strategies is to search for repeated material in the music. Once you discover them, label the excerpts (the repeated measures) so you spend time focusing on other areas in the music rather than practicing the repeated sections more than necessary. Practice efficiency will improve, and it is possible that you will gain a deeper understanding behind the construction of the music.
Video Assessment - video record yourself on your device playing a short excerpt or etude. Turn off the sound and then watch the recording. Use the following questions to guide your assessment:
- Do I have good posture and holding position throughout the video?
- Am I breathing regularly and consistently?
- Are there any unnecessary physical movements (like swaying) or distracting movements that could detract from a performance?
Puzzle Pieces - a fun an interesting way to practice new music. First, photocopy the music. Next determine ways to “cut up” the music into phrases. Look for expected phrase lengths (often four to eight measures of music) or natural starting and stopping points in the music. Then, literally, cut the music into the pieces that you identified and mix up the pieces so the music is completely out of order. Selected one piece of the puzzle and practice that phrase until it is very clean technically and contains musical shape. Don’t move to the next puzzle piece until the first piece is in great shape. Once you are satisfied, select a new puzzle piece and begin the process again until all of the pieces have been practiced and refined.
Blindfold - this practice strategy is designed to heighten your auditory send and improve the “feel” of the music by removing the visual distractions of the printed page. Obviously the music must be memorized, it works best when you use it on scales or daily warm-ups. Simply close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then, begin to play and focus all of your energy toward your auditory sense as well as sense of touch.
Audio Assessment - Nearly everyone carries a recording device in their pocket (mobile device), it takes seconds to open an app and record our playing. A short 30-second example is plenty to provide good feedback on our playing. Listen to the recording and focus on one question at a time. Decide if you need to alter something in your playing before moving to the next question:
- Am I playing with characteristic tone quality? Throughout the range of the instrument? (high and low notes)
- Is this a good tempo? Should I go faster or slower?
- Is the articulation appropriate throughout? Is the articulation enhancing the style of the music?
- Are there intonation issues? Where What note(s)?
- Does each phrase have a climax or destination? What could I do differently to interpret this phrase?
To Beat or Not to Beat - Appropriate metronome use in practice sessions:
1. Sight-reading: Before playing, set the metronome to an appropriate tempo and "finger-click" the music along with the metronome. Always, always sight-read with a consistent pulse. A good sense of pulse is integrated immediately and avoids bad habits (such as slowing down in the "hard parts") saving hours of practice time.The important thing to remember is that hte selected tempo must be appropriate - one that allows you to play with correct notes, rhythms and control (and that might be significantly slower than the marked tempo).
2. Technical problems - When facing a difficult technical passage, the metronome provides consistent guidance in technique development. Find a tempo that allows you to play through the entire selection with accurate control. As sessions progress, gradually increase in the tempo until the desired performance tempo is achieved. Avoid jumping ahead too quickly. For example, if you can play through the selection at 80 bpm, then increase the tempo to 84 bpm (not 100 bpm)!
3. Consistency - being human, we vary tempo slightly from one practice session to the next, but this is not ideal for technical development. Consider "checking in" with a metronome each practice session, and always check audio and video recordings for tempo consistency. Sometimes we simply get frustrated in practice sessions because we are going much faster than we did the previous session. The metronome always helps to keep us consistent.
Slower is Faster - Going slower is a faster way to learn. Find a tempo that allows you to play every note nad rhythm accurately - a perfect technical performance - on the very first try. This might feel a little painful at first. The brain always records the correct version and mistakes never creep into the muscle memory system, and as a result, you can perform the music with complete accuracy at ever increasing tempos over the next several practice sessions (without mistakes).
Rhythm Variation - Altering the rhythm of the music is one of the simplest ways to reinforce technical passages. This practice strategy is easy to integrate and allows musicians to refocus and keep practice sessions fresh. Vary the original rhythm in 3-4 different ways (for example, short-long, long-short, triplets, 1+a 2+a, 1e+ 2e+). Simply practice each rhythmic variation 2-3 times until they are flawless. Once you varied the original rhythm 3-4 ways, return to the original passage and practice the excerpt in context. Consider using a metronome throughout the process to monitor progress and maintain consistent tempo.
Pencil Power - Professional musicians know how important it is to "get it right." After all, their job is on the line. Markings help them digest and learn the music more quickly and efficiently. You must have a sharp pencil (and a few pencils sitting around would not hurt). Then, use the pencil to mark important items of note. At minimum, the markings might include: Current tempo markings, Key signature mistakes (that happen more than once in practice), Fingerings, Phrase lengths and/or climax points, After identifying the form of the etude or solo, mark important sections and transition points. Integration into practice:
1. A pencil must be ready at the beginning of every practice session. Do not start a session without a pencil or you simply will not mark items as they surface during the session.
2. Stop practicing the moment you think about something that could be marked in the score. Just stop and mark it! Don't wait!
3. After several practice sessions on a specific etude or solo spend a few minutes looking through the music and marking additional items like phrases and climax points. Then, begin practicing.
Singing in the Car - Maybe you sing at the top of your lungs and “perform” like no one is listening in the car. There is no fear of judgment, no worries about singing with good tone or perfect rhythm, we just wail! It is fun, relaxing, and probably a fairly musical performance. Try this when you practice. The point of this is to encourage musicians to push their comfort zone to the very edge. We need to perform with a sense of exuberance that is rarely found in the typical practice room. You have a musical license and need to use it whenever possible. There are certain rules of the road, but no one is telling you how to get from point A to point B. Don’t wait for someone to suggest musical ideas - instead , allow your musical license to take over. You know how to drive the musical car.
Supermodel - Identify two or three “supermodels” on your instrument. Listen to a recording made by one of your supermodels; ideally a recording of a ipiece that you are currently learning. Listen to each phrase, inflection, tone. Copy the interpretation. See if you can match it exactly. As you listen to the recording, ask yourself questions about the performance.
1. What feeling is communicated in this recording? How did they achieve that feeling?
2. What tempo was selected? Why?
3. How are the phrases shaped (including rise/fall, length)? Why?
4. Was the composer’s intent observed? Why or why not?
3x perfect - Scientists have discovered that 3 repetitions followed by ten minutes of rest produced significantly higher outcomes. Try to have “other” things to do in addition to music practice. Get everything set for a practice session, warmup, and play through a song three times. Next set a timer for 10 minutes and go clean your room or do a different task (homework, etc.). Then, play the selection again three times. Repeat the process one more time for a total of about 60 mins. Once complete, move on to other practicing or stop.
Phrase it - Make a clean copy of your music. On the copy, use liquid erase rand remove all dynamics. Make another copy of the copy - one that is clean for your markings. Refer to the original and make artistic decisions about the music. Mark your phrases in a new way, which could be a long curved arrow over the phrase in a “rainbow” shape marking the top of the phrase (usually the highest note), and indicating where you will take any breaths.
Commercial Method - Get your instrument ready before you sit down and turn on the TV. Make a plan for the session like practicing scales with a metronome or working on a short segment of music, whatever needs repetitive practice. List 3-4 things that might be accomplished. Watch TV and when your favorite program shifts to a commercial break, start practicing! You will be amazed at what you can accomplish, and there is no need to feel guilty about watching TV anymore!
Duets with you - Get a duet book and copy some from Ms. May. See if you can schedule a 15-20 minute duet session with another musician. If not, record yourself playing one line of the music. Put your ear buds in and restart the recording you just made. Now, play the other line of the duet along with the recording - DUETS WITH YOU.
Stair Stepper - You have a desired performance tempo of 120. You begin practicing without the metronome searching for a tempo that allows you to play successfully with complete accuracy from beginning to end. This is your starting tempo (your base tempo) - the speed at which you can perform the etude with perfect technical skill.
For this example, we will say that you can perform the etude accurately at 88 bpm. Play through the passage several times with complete success at the base tempo. Fight the urge to increase speed. Accuracy comes first; speed comes second. At the second practice session, begin at the base tempo (again checking for accuracy). If all goes well, increase the tempo by four beats per minute. You are now at 92 bpm. Then, for the third run, drop the tempo to 90. The process continues and with each run of the etude, you achieve an accurate performance (or the tempo is too fast). After about 14 sessions, you have arrived at the performance tempo.
Company’s Comin’ - How to prepare for rehearsal with piano accompanist.
1. Listen to several recordings and focus on the accompanist part (not the solo part).
2. If you have piano skills, practice he piano part and record the accompaniment so you can play along with the recording a few times.
3. Ask your accompanist to record the part ahead of the first collaboration.
4. Utilize music software that can play the accompaniment and follow you.
If you use these strategies before your first rehearsal with the accompanist, the time spent with your accompanist will be more effective. You will have a stronger understanding of the interplay between the parts, and you will be more prepared for the collaboration sessions.
Thick Accent - This strategy shifts all of our focus to articulation. Strip the music of all articulation markings and play through the material with one consistent articulation (slur all the notes, for example). Next, play through the music with the opposite style. Work to develop consistency in the articulation and “over do it” to make the point. Finally, make a conscious choice about which articulations should be used when and where in the music.
TSP - TSP is an acronym for “Think It, Sing it, Play it.” Try this quick exercise… close your eyes and imagine that you are walking down a neighborhood sidewalk. Coming from behind you, you hear a large delivery truck diving down the street. Can you hear it in your voice? Now, try to mimic that sound with your voice. Try to sound exactly like the sound of the large truck. How close did you get to matching the sound in your head with your voice? This process is called audition - the foundation of musicianship.
Think about the first phrase in your music. How will you shape the line? Then, sing the line exactly the way you hear it in your mind with good musical shape. You do not need a highly trained voice to make this work, but you need to sing with confidence and expressiveness regardless of the actual tone quality produced. Now play the phrase exactly the way you practice in your mind and with your voice. Think it, Sing it, Play it. The results will speak for themselves.
World Record - Select a scale or technical passage that needs attention. Practice playing the excerpt perfectly over and ver again until the first mistake survaces. The mistake could be anything from a wrong note, a poor articulation, or an incorrect rhythm. Record the number of perfect repetitions (prior to the mistake). This Is your World Record. Now, start again and try to be a your record. This is not about speed. It is about perfect technique and repetitive practice.
Phone a Friend - At least once a month, or perhaps more often if possible, ask a fired to listen to your solo or etude and provide feedback about the performance. This is incredibly helpful as developing musicians. Then, you might play some duets before the session concludes. Consider making a brief list of questions that will guide the experience. Sample questions are below:
1. What do you notice about my fundamentals skills (posture, holding position, use of bow)
2. Could I improve my tone quality? How?
3. Do you sense a feeling of motion in the music/phrases?
4. Did I perform with good dynamic contrast?
5. What was the best part of the performance?
6. Where should I focus my practice moving forward?
Simon Says - In technical passages (16th notes), try adding a fermata every third or fourth note and pausing long enough to focus on a pure tone. Or, allow that note to receive two metronome clicks before moving to the next note. This process allows your eye to look ahead and prepare for what is ahead. Remember, building technique is about going slowly and playing without mistakes.
Only Notes - With this strategy, you learn a new piece of music by playing only the notes and ignoring the rhythms, dynamics and articulations. Select a rhythm that works for pitch accuracy and even out all of the written rhythms (for example, all eighth notes). The strategy removes one of the variables (rhythm) that can get in the way of initial learning while establishing excellent muscle memory.
Only Rhythms - After implementing Only Notes, try the opposite approach. Remove the notes and focus on the rhythm alone. You should be able to hear the notes after using only notes. Next, you want to be able to refine the rhythm with the distraction of notes. Developing musicians often reverse this process and work on the rhythm first with the notes coming second. This works fine in a large ensemble situation, but in my experience, it is far better for individuals to establish a good aural sense of the music and then layer the rhythm second. IF you find the rhythm to be rather basic in nature (and boring to practice on one pitch) challenge yourself to add articulations and dynamics.
Drone - Musicians must be incredibly flexible when it comes to pitch control. Musicians will turn to a tuner to help them get “in tune” and determine various tendencies on the instrument. Open an app on your mobile device (“Tonal Energy”) and select a pleasing electronic sound (tenor trombone?). Select “sustain” and then the tonic (root) pitch for the etude or scale that you plan to practice. Your ear and innate musical sense will take over, and you will start adjusting pitches immediately to match the drone.
Power Practice - A short, focused session that aims toward one goal. Each session is less than 10 minutes with many sessions spread throughout the day/week. This is a wonderful tool for working on:
1. Repetition (scales, tricky passages) - practice only the selection that needs attention. Nothing more.
2. Memorization - practice one small section of the music once or twice and then take a break. Come back to the same section hours later and repeat the process several times throughout a day.
3. Strength - rebuilding strength after injury-small sessions reduce fatigue and allow performance muscles to rebuild slowly.
4. Habit -Identify 2 or 3 cues for practice during the da and then practice for a quick 5-10 minutes.
Supervised Practice - If you have a musical role model nearby, ask them if you can observe one of their practice sessions. Take your journal to the session and log your thoughts while observing. Hopefully your role model/teacher will be interactive during the practice session and verbalize the processes they are using to practice. Plan some time at the end for discussion.
1. How does my teacher/mentor begin the session? Why?
2. Is there a plan for the practice session?
3. How does my teacher/mentor deal with problem areas?
4. What tools did my teacher/mentor use during the session?
5. What items served as distractions during the session?
A second way to integrate it is to ask your teacher to observe one (or more) of your practice sessions. Make this session interactive and ask questions as you work through the practice plan.
Practice Priorities - Focus on systems that allow you to prioritize important items that contribute toward long-term goals. Prioritization is one of the most valuable skills you can incorporate into practice. Allow 4-5 minutes after a practice session concludes to record a few items that need to be addressed in tomorrow’s practice session. After making the list, rank them in order of importance and you will be ready to start tomorrow’s practice session. It provides daily Practice Priorities to lead toward major accomplishments.
Reflection - Self-reflection requires individuals to shift perspectives from performer to evaluator. You are given the permission to analyze your own strengths and weaknesses. Write these answers in your journal. The answers often lead to great self-discovery and insightful ideas for your development as a musician. Make time for it and your musical development will increase exponentially.
Short-term reflection (Daily/Weekly)
1. What was the best part of my playing today (or this week)?
2. Where did I make the most progress? Why did that progress happen?
3. In what areas would I like to improve over the next few days/weeks?
4. What am I going to focus on in the next day or two?
5. Am I getting the help I need to make progress?
Long-Range Questions might include (months/year)
1. Has my practice routine led to improvement?
2. Should I change the way I am approaching practice?
3. Am I enjoying the music I am playing? Why?
4. Am I curious about certain music? What kind?
5. Where should I focus my practice energy over the next few months?
6. Who can help me achieve my goals?
Over practice - Use techniques that facilitate natural positions and movements. Take rest breaks and avoid use of arms/hands during breaks. Do not over practice. Start slowly especially as you build practice time. Avoid stress and tension (mental and emotional stress). Do not play through pain. Respect your physical requirements.
These ideas are intended to provide general advice for musicians (we are not medical experts). When dealing with injuries, consult a healthcare or mental health professional to address your specific situation. With careful attention to the physicals and mental demands of performing music, you can enjoy music for your entire life.
Enjoy the journey - Learn to dig a little deeper, make a commitment, and learn to enjoy the journey of making small improvements each day. There are different levels of commitment:
1. Participants enjoy the experience of getting together with friends and engaging in the events. Conscientious about rehearsal times, working to learn the music in rehearsal and interested in being a good section member. Likes music with a good beat.
2. Player/singer is a person who loves music because it give them a chance to play. Wants to play a lot and practices to achieve range and technique to represent a great sound whenever the player plays. Arrives early to practice his “licks” and wants great parts to play.
3. Musician plays well and shows up to rehearsals with part mastered. Loves chamber music and ensemble because of the opportunity for musical collaboration. Comes to rehearsal to learn everyone else’s part. Learning how to play by concentrating on intonation, articulation, phrasing, blend, balance and style. About listening, learning and collaborating with other musicians.
4. Artist has all the skills of the player and the musician but also is a creator. Comes to every rehearsal prepared in every way and leaves every rehearsal with new goals. Artist loves great music making and loves to bring expression and inspiration to the performance. Has imagination fueled by opportunity. Might come in a solo passage or an approach to style that amplifies the intent of the piece.
IT is about growing, listening, and surrounding oneself with great music, great books, great art, and great people. It is about informed intuition. Are you on the path toward artistry? One of the most important philosophies that you must adopt to be successful as a musician is to focus on the journey of music making. YOu must value the process of learning and focus less on comparing yourself to others. It is your path to artistry and your path alone. No one else can do the work for you. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!
Strategies are from "Practicing with Purpose - An Indispensable Resource to Increase Musical Proficiency" by David Kish