Here are student’s thoughts (and a few of mine) shared during a three-part discussion about how to practice effectively!
Part 1: Establishing a practice routine (weekly, or a general, regular routine)
There is a youtube channel called fiddling with my wistle and I gives you the notes for the song and the backround music and you play along with a wistle and It is really fun (This is only for vilions)
Google calendar
It takes me a while to get in this pattern at this but getting in the routine of practicing every day for 20 min's really helps and getting in the habit
Sometimes when I have a lot to do I make a to do list for the day with things like homework and practicing instruments along with fun stuff like watching a video or reading a book and then I check them off throughout the day
writing your own music also helps
Plan one day that you will take off from practicing and keep it the same every week.
I practis 20mins every day when ever i feel like it because if the weather is nicew outside I wanna go out side but if later in the day its rainey i will play then. I take one day off if I forget and If i have used my day off i have to pratdus dubble the next day
practice the same time everyday. Also, playing for your family or whoever you live with gets you motivated and is a lot of fun. If you don't like practicing, the more often that you do it, it gets easier to practice and you will enjoy it more.
reminders can help
you can have a certain time each day
phone calendar reminders too
I often forget, so I have an alarm set. I also set my violin case in an obvious place so it can't be missed.
set a schedule
After I finish my work or after school
Part 2: Designing an effective practice session
Set up your space, check your equipment, and tune.
Divide your time between warmups, challenging parts of your pieces, and a choice piece
Set your own goals in addition to assigned goals. Ask yourself: “What do I need to do to improve today?”
Tune and scales as a warm up
I generally do etudes after I do scales
Warm up and then some review to refresh your memory, then move on to the harder stuff you are learning. Maybe end with something you really like to play so you can keep you practicing positive.
I try to play the whole piece first and then break it up into chunks that I need to practice
practice the whole song, not just one part. don’t start the song over every time you mess up
I play everything I am working on and then go back and work on all of the ones that I need work on
find a time and place where you wont be inturrupted
practice around the same time each day or after something you do.
Musical Elements to focus on:
intonation
rhythm, so using a metronome is often helpful
dynamics
maybe play with a metronome so you can understand how the beat works on hardersongs
Bowings
paing atenchin to music!
musicality, and phrasing, so how you're playing the music
Looking ahead in the music
sight reading
could focus on tempo
playing smoothly
with the right pitch
Part 3: Practicing a piece effectively
Listen attentively to your playing. Imagine the tone you want to make before you play. Anticipate what each pitch, rhythm, tempo, articulation, dynamic, and intonation should be. Reflect, analyze, try again, and improve!
Be honest about what parts need more practice, and devote more time to them. Don’t just practice what is easy.
see how much i can sightread it first
read the notes
key and time signature
I look at the key signature and make sure i know it and then i just try to start with the first notes
find a video of someone playing the song
take 30 seconds to look over the piece and try to get the flow of the music in your head
intonation