{ Practice, Practice, Practice! }
"Practice" is the privilege of getting to play music
and learning how to do it better each time you try.
It may sound harsh,
but without regular practicing and good practice skills,
it is difficult to improve and make progress,
and it may not be worth your money to take lessons.
Time spent on your own with your own with your instrument
is critical to learning and progressing.
Music is like any other aspiration, sport, or craft...
participation alone does not equal success!
It takes work on the student's behalf to increase skillfulness and ability,
no matter the level of natural talent they may possess.
PRACTICE is so very important in learning your instrument!
It helps you remember what you’ve learned during your lesson,
and also helps you master important musical skills and techniques.
In general, I suggest my students should practice consistently--
at least 5 days per week.
More practice is always good,
and daily practice (including lesson day!) is ideal!
When practicing, please always keep these things in mind...
{ Voice }
Eliminate distractions such as radio, TV, phone, children playing or people being loud nearby, and make sure you have a quiet space where you can concentrate.
Always stand with proper posture.
(You do not perform sitting down, and you should always practice the way you perform.)
Begin with about 5-10 minutes of Warm-up and Technique exercises.
Use proper breathing on every phrase, and think about where the phrase is going.
Break songs into small sections ("bites") and practice rough spots slowly, over and over, until they are smooth.
When you make a mistake, stop and work the passage over and over until you have fixed it.
Watch yourself singing with a mirror or record yourself and watch/listen to it back. Check posture. Be aware of head, neck, and jaw position, and vowel formation. Practice facial expression.
Write down questions or problems you have while you are practicing (either in your music or in your notebook) so we can address them at your lesson.
Research every song, so you understand what you are singing about. This may mean translating from a foreign language or finding background information about the composer and/or history of the song.
Remember how much you love music, and that hard work will make you better at it, which will in turn help you love it even more!
{ Piano }
Eliminate distractions such as radio, TV, phone, children playing or people being loud nearby, and make sure you have a quiet space where you can concentrate.
Make sure fingernails are trimmed short so you can play with proper technique: curved fingers and firm fingertips!
Always sit with proper posture (including feet/legs) and hand position.
Begin with Warm-up and Technique exercises and scales.
Use proper fingering (finger numbers) every time.
Break songs into small sections (i.e. a phase or one hand at a time) and practice rough spots slowly, over and over, until they are smooth.
When you make a mistake, stop and work the passage over and over until you have made progress on it.
Write down questions or problems you have while you are practicing (either in your music or in your notebook) so we can address them at your lesson.
Complete music theory homework.
Review flash cards.
Play for someone at home to hear you.
Remember how much you love music, and that hard work will make you better at it, which will in turn help you love it even more!
"Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy."
- Ludwig van Beethoven
