PRACTICING 101!

How a musician SHOULD be

spending their practice time…

In order to get the most out of the time you have available it is important to know how to organize your practice session. Each practice session should have pretty much the same organizational structure regardless of the time available. The four key elements to a successful practice session are:

1. GOALS – These goals should be both long and short term. Short term goals could include preparation for concerts, tests, and challenges. Long term goals could include improving chair placement, membership in an honor group, or auditions.

2. WARM UP/ PHYSICAL PREPARATION – Each practice session should begin with either a warm up, which includes exercises to work on tone and range.

3. TECHNICAL – Some practice time should include technique development and tonguing exercises. Etudes, Scales, Arpeggios, and digital patterns based on scales are an important part of developing technique. Tonguing exercises including single, double, and triple tonguing with an emphasis on speed and accuracy.

4. READING – Work on reading should include two areas.

a. New Material- work on a part from your music, private lesson, or rhythm that is difficult for you. When working on new material it is important to be sure to break the section down to isolate parts for accuracy which may mean working out notes and rhythms separately.

b. MATERIAL YOU HAVE MASTERED – working for speed and fluency. Always play these exercises in rhythm and work for increasing speed using a metronome if one is available.

Other Considerations:

· If possible, try to break up your practice time for the day into shorter periods of time.

· Try to get in the warm up portion of your practice session done as early in the day as possible.

· Use a metronome and a tuner as often as possible.

· List your goals where you can see them and check them off.

· Have as many people as possible listen to, and critique your performances.

· Listen to recordings of professionals on your instrument.