Practice Tips and Strategies
Have a question you want me to answer here? Send me a message!
What is Practicing??
=Playing your instrument at home with SPECIFIC goals in mind
Find a place you can focus and make a sound without distraction
Practice 3-5 times per week for small chunks of time
Don't dwell too much on one thing. If you get too frustrated or confused, move on. Try to remember to ask your teacher about it at the next class.
Aim for CORRECT repetition to reinforce the CORRECT pathways in your brain 🙂
FUN FACT: When we sleep, our brains build MYELIN. This substance allows nerve cells to transmit information faster and allows for more complex brain processes. In other words, working on a task a little each day and then "sleeping on it" will always be more effective learning than "cramming."
Practicing FAQs:
My sound is scratchy! What's wrong?
It could be a few different things...
-Do you have a bow tunnel with your right hand?
-Is your bow going between the bridge and the fingerboard?
-Is your bow going straight?
-Are you using a gliding motion with the bow?
-(Violin/Viola) Is your instrument on your shoulder?
I put one finger down to make an E on the D string, but it doesn't sound like the right note.
-Is your finger on the tape? If your finger is in a different place it will make a different pitch.
-Is your finger hoding the string all the way down?
I am not getting any sound when I use the bow.
-You may need rosin. When was the last time you used rosin? You should put some on each week, or more often if you practice a lot :)
-Is your bow traveling between the bridge and the fingerboard? If not, it may not make a clear sound.
Sometimes when I play through a song, I get lost or can't keep a steady speed (tempo). What should I do?
Here are some strategies:
Try practicing just the hardest part of the song several times in a row, instead of playing all the way through the song.
When trying the tricky parts, it's okay to play them slowly at first, then speed them up when you get more comfortable with them.
When playing with the group, keep listening and watching, and join back in when you can (maybe on an open string?). Mistakes are okay - they show you are trying :)