Private lessons offer young violin and viola players invaluable opportunities for growth and improvement. Whether you're just starting or already have some experience, here are some practice tips to help you make the most of your lessons and enhance your musical journey.

Establish a Consistent Practice Routine

Consistency is key to progress. You can set aside dedicated time each day for practice, even if it's just 20-30 minutes. This helps build discipline and reinforces what you learn in lessons.

Warm-Up Exercises

Begin your practice session with warm-up exercises to loosen your muscles and improve finger dexterity. Simple scales, arpeggios, and bowing exercises are excellent for this purpose.

Focus on Technique

Pay attention to your teacher's instructions on proper posture, bowing technique, and finger placement. Practicing correct technique from the beginning prevents bad habits that can be hard to break later on.

Break Down Pieces into Sections

When learning new pieces, divide them into smaller sections or phrases. Work on one section at a time, focusing on intonation, rhythm, dynamics, and expression. Slow practice initially can help you master difficult passages more effectively.

Use a Metronome

A metronome is a valuable tool for developing a steady tempo and improving timing. Start practicing with a slow tempo and gradually increase the speed as you become more comfortable with the piece.

Listen Actively

Listen to recordings of professional violinists and violists performing the pieces you're learning. This helps develop your musical ear, understanding of phrasing, and interpretation.

Take Notes

During your lessons, jot down key points and practice strategies provided by your teacher. Reviewing these notes before practice sessions reinforces what you've learned and ensures you stay on track with your goals.

Practice Patience and Persistence

Learning a string instrument takes time and patience. Don't get discouraged by mistakes or slow progress. Celebrate small achievements along the way, and trust that consistent effort will yield results over time.

Musical Treasure Hunt

Objective: Improve sight-reading and learn pieces faster.

How to Play:

•  Choose a piece you're learning or a new one from your music book.

• Have somebody use a pencil to put STARS randomly in the music. These measures marked with stars are stops on a treasure hunt! 

• As you play through the piece, whenever you successfully reach a new "treasure" location, you earn a reward (a treat or a sticker).

• Challenge yourself to find all the treasures in the piece while playing it correctly.

Bow Division Dice Challenge

Objective: Develop bow control and improve rhythm awareness.

How to Play:

• Select a scale that you're practicing.

• Use a dice or a virtual dice app to determine the number of bow strokes you should use per note (e.g., 2, 3, 4 strokes).

• Play the passage, adhering strictly to the bow division indicated by the dice for each note.

• For an added challenge, vary the bow division randomly each time you play the passage.

Coin Gathering Challenge

Objective: Improve difficult passages with repetition and attention to detail

How to Play:

• Select a short passage to work on, usually 1-2 measures. 

• Put 5-10 small objects on the left side (the starting line) of the stand. Pennys or M&M candies work well for this

• Play the passage and evaluate what it needs to improve

• Address improvements (such as intonation, fingerings, bow speed, etc.) and play it again. 

• When you play through it well, move an object from the left side of the stand to the right side (the finish line). 

• Play it again, evaluate your work, and move the objects one at a time, until all of them are on the right side of the stand! 

• For an added challenge, if you play the passage imperfectly, move an object back onto the left side of the stand and make it start over again. 

• When all of your objects have reached the finish line, they are yours to keep! Stash the pennies in a savings jar, or eat the M&M candies! 

What NOT to Do During Practice

Here are some common practice pitfalls!

• Don't ignore your instrument. It should be EASY to pick it up and play. Create a practice space that is comfortable and has everything you need, including a stand, pencils, highlighters, and a place for a glass of water to stay hydrated. 

• Don't get frustrated. If something isn't working, walk away. Choose something else to work on. Getting frustrated rarely helps students improve and love their art. Try again later with a fresh perspective! 

• Don't repeat things wrong. Every time you play something incorrectly, your muscles and brain learn that and think it's correct. It's very difficult to unravel bad habits and passages that were not practiced right. Focus on playing everything correctly, the first time, even if it means going slowly and taking it one note at a time. 

• Don't always start at the beginning. This common practice leads to a problem where the beginning of the piece is always strong and well played, while the musician struggles to get through the middle and end. Each time you practice, choose a different place to start. Work from the end to the beginning!