Practice Strategies
1. SET-UP YOU SPACE
1. SET-UP YOU SPACE
- Quiet Location
- Proper chair
- Music Stand at the correct level
- Proper lighting
- Chromebook for metronome and video
2. REGULAR PRACTICE TIMES
2. REGULAR PRACTICE TIMES
- Set the same time aside every day to practice, just like if you were on a sports team, they would practice at the same time so that it becomes part of your schedule.
3. POSTURE
3. POSTURE
- Warm-ups without music so you may focus on your posture.
4. ORGANIZE & DEVELOP PRACTICE TIME: Plan each practice session by setting realistic and obtainable goals. Ask yourself these questions:
4. ORGANIZE & DEVELOP PRACTICE TIME: Plan each practice session by setting realistic and obtainable goals. Ask yourself these questions:
- What is the goal of this particular practice session?
- Am I playing with proper posture and position?
- Am I playing the correct pitches and rhythms?
- Am I playing to a steady pulse?
- Am I playing in tune?
- Am I playing with a good sound?
- Am I avoiding the difficult parts?
5. WHAT TO DO WITH A DIFFICULT PASSAGE:
5. WHAT TO DO WITH A DIFFICULT PASSAGE:
- Isolate the problem: is it left or right hand?
- Count the rhythms out loud
- Write in the counting in your music
- Clap the rhythms
- Sing and finger the notes
- Shadow-bow the passage
- Say the bowing out loud
- Begin at a slower tempo and gradually increase the speed
- Repeat as often as necessary
- Play through a passage six times correctly
- Once the hard part is good, add it to a bigger part
- Vary the rhythms and bowings
- Play rhythm on open strings with correct bowing
- Make a video of yourself and watch it with the book
- Play for someone at home
- listen to a recording
- pizzicato the part to get it in your left hand fingers
6. WHAT TO DO IF YOU BECOME FRUSTRATED
6. WHAT TO DO IF YOU BECOME FRUSTRATED
- Take a short break and come back
- Take a deep breath
- Ask for help – that is why we are here
- Stay optimistic – this is hard work – remember that with practice, you are improving