No matter what level of musicianship you have achieved or you are looking into attaining, you will find that practice is an inescapable part of it. While there are some people who seem blessed with natural talent and a good ear, practice is still something that is extremely important and that you need to think about. Take some time and make sure that you think about the role of practicing in terms of musicianship and what you can do to make sure that you are getting the most out of your practices.
When you are looking at practicing music, you will find that there are a number of guides that tell you that you need to practice every day. If you have never tried learning something like this before, you may be a little surprised. The truth of the matter is that you cannot simply roll up a week’s worth of practice in a two to three hour session once a week! Ideally, you will find some time to practice every day, even if they are short sessions.
Some people feel that they have to practice less if their sight reading skills are good. While it is true that having good sight reading skills can help you get to where you want to go a little faster when it comes to learning a piece, the truth of the matter is that it only gets you so far. When you sight read, there is a good chance that you are still going to make mistakes and that there are still going to errors that will only be ironed out with practice. While sight reading is a good way to get to know a piece, getting good at it is something that will only come as you practice.
Remember that playing an instrument or singing in general is a cumulative process, and the more work that you can put into your essentials, the better off you are going to be. This is something that is very important to keep in mind, especially as you are getting started with learning why practice is important. The better a foundation you build, the more competent your work later on is going to be. You can’t move forward unless you have a thorough understanding of where you have been and what you are doing, and at the end of the day, this is something that can help you grow as a musician.
Take some time and really think about what your options are going to be when you are looking at practicing. For the most part, you will find that the human brain learns things best when they are broken down into chunks. Try to keep your practices around half an hour to an hour, as long as your attention holds out. If your mind is wandering, try to figure out why and try to find something related that you can do. If you spend too much time on something at a stretch, you may be reinforcing bad habits rather than learning good ones.
Consider what your options are going to be and really get the most out of your practices. This is one of the best ways that you have for becoming a better musician.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Kevin,
Great post on practicing.
Great article on practice, I agree, I am not musician but martial artist, to be an expert in anything you have to practice. practice and practice many thousands time, untill it is embedded into your body and soul.After that practice more.Cheers