Optimizing Practice

August 28, 2008 by Scot.

Most of our lives are filled with enough necessity, that trying to fit in practice on top of everything, feels like torture.  Over  the years, I have found, and passed on, ways to optimize mine and students’ time effectively.  Most of us wait till the end of days ‘requirements’ to start their practice routine.  At this juncture, most of us are fried.  A few ways to get in the necessary practice and not lose extra sleep:

1- Practice the mindless exercises whilst watching tv, a movie or listening to your favorite cd.

    a - You needn’t have total concentration for every element of your practice routine.  Granted, this will be more difficult for drummers, pianists and singers, but……….Most of these elements are repetition, coordination and ultimately, speed based. It’s often uninteresting to listen to and the most boring to practice.  THEREFORE, DO IT WITH ANOTHER MINDLESS PASTIME. 

2 - Spread it out.

    a. No need to practice everything in 1 sitting, or all in a day.

    b. Do a few things that you need to concentrate on in between homework, housework or paying the bills.  Nice to break up other necessary routines with something you like doing.

    c. Don’t feel the need to always start over when getting the opportunity to practice.  Start wherever you left off in each next sitting.  And save the mindless repetitive work for chill time.

3 - As we know, but don’t often admit, PRACTICE IS NOT PLAYING SONGS!  We practice in order to play songs.  Don’t count playing tunes as practice time.  That should be viewed as much a bonus as playing video games.  And don’t get me started on the time wasted playing video games.

4 - Utilize an experienced teacher weekly.

    a. For the self-taught at heart, you will only go as far as osmosis allows.  You may pick up things off the internet and friends, but holes will always prevail in your learning and once you hit a stumbling block, it may be that much more difficult for a teacher to break the bad habits you have picked up.

    b. A great teacher will guide you and maximize what you need at the time you need it.  Don’t waste time practicing things beneath or way above you.

5 - How much time should one spend practicing?

  a. I was told as a youngster that I needed to spend an hour at a time practicing.  I was 10 years old.  Well, after the first 20 minutes of diligent practice, there really was not anything left for me to do, but the same material again and again and again.  It got rather boring and found myself seated in my parents room literally watching the clock till an hour was up.  Needless to say I quit soon after and took up Karate.

    b. Well Karate didn’t take beyond a year and I fortunately found a much more versatile and practical instructor to take my guitar studies forward.  At this juncture I was 15.   I never slowed down.  I recommend the following……….

At ages 6 - 12, there really is not any need to practice more than 20- 30 minutes a day, say 3-4 days per week.  If you really concentrate on what needs to be worked on and not just playing “what sounds good”, those 20-30 minutes are certainly more effective than an hr. sitting in front of a clock on your parents bed, wishing you could eat brussel sprouts instead.  By age 13 and up, more time is usually recommended at a sitting, due to more ability and desire.  Joining a band often helps motivate one to push beyond their current boundaries.

Hope these tips help.  Happy practicing.

-Scot- 8-27-08

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