PRACTICE TIPS
1. Small amounts of focused practice are better
than trying to do everything in one day.
2. Practice should be done at a regularly
scheduled time. Perhaps, before or after
dinner for 15 – 30 minutes would work.
3. It is helpful to have a quiet place in the
house set aside just for practicing.
4. It is very important to practice with the
music placed on a music stand. This
helps develop good posture, which is critical for good tone production.
5. Students may want to stage performances for
family members by playing their weekly lessons.
6.Part of practicing an instrument is listening
to music. I recommend finding a
recording of a musician who plays your particular instrument.
Practice Routine
This is just a suggestion of what could be done during a typical practice session. The times given are estimates for a beginner. As a student gains experience and knowledge, the amount of time in a given area should increase.
I. Warm-Up (2 - 5 minutes)
A. Play through your "Daily Packet"
1. Warm-Up
2. Scale (Memorize as soon as possible)
3. Technical patterns
B. Play your favorite song or exercise!
1. Hot Cross Buns
2. Mary Had A Little Lamb
3. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
4. Happy Birthday
5. Try playing them from memory
II. Practice your assignment (5 - 10 minutes)
A. The Method Book
1. The Road To Success
a. Always work on the Next 5 from wherever you last got checked off.
b. Challenge yourself by working ahead in the book.
B. Band Music
1. Play through your band music
2. Find the measures that give you trouble and focus on them.
a. Play the section until you get it right and then play 5 more times!
III. Challenge Yourself! (5 minutes - how ever long you want!)
A. Play a favorite song
B. Perform for your friends and family
C. Learn a new note
D. Learn a new song
E. Listen to music
F. Compose a song
G. Practice with a friend
H. Record yourself
IV. Clean your instrument!
I. Warm-Up (2 - 5 minutes)
A. Play through your "Daily Packet"
1. Warm-Up
2. Scale (Memorize as soon as possible)
3. Technical patterns
B. Play your favorite song or exercise!
1. Hot Cross Buns
2. Mary Had A Little Lamb
3. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
4. Happy Birthday
5. Try playing them from memory
II. Practice your assignment (5 - 10 minutes)
A. The Method Book
1. The Road To Success
a. Always work on the Next 5 from wherever you last got checked off.
b. Challenge yourself by working ahead in the book.
B. Band Music
1. Play through your band music
2. Find the measures that give you trouble and focus on them.
a. Play the section until you get it right and then play 5 more times!
III. Challenge Yourself! (5 minutes - how ever long you want!)
A. Play a favorite song
B. Perform for your friends and family
C. Learn a new note
D. Learn a new song
E. Listen to music
F. Compose a song
G. Practice with a friend
H. Record yourself
IV. Clean your instrument!
