"Silence?" "A practice method?" "You must be mad!" Well actually no. Unfortunately there are not enough thoughtful silences in the practice room. Just because you are making noise does not mean you are getting better! This practice method is basically very simple. You need to have equal amounts of playing and silence. To do this you will need to make ...
You can use the fact that everyone likes a good story to help shape the music you are playing. The first thing you need to do is to write down what the music reminds you of. Is it a scampering insect, a floating leaf, a noisy train station or a barking dog? There is no right ...
Does your teacher tell you to be more 'musical', more 'expressive' or play with more 'feeling'? I bet you're left wondering how to do that. By using the Musical Map method you can give your piece more direction and make it sound more musical and expressive. The Musical Map method requires that you mark every single note ...
Much of what we do in the practice room is about putting information into your brain. By doing the EXACT opposite of what you are supposed to do the brain will remember the right way more easily. Pick any section of music to use for this method. Look at the notes and markings and take turns ...
Get your child to teach their piece to you. This is a great way for your child to really get to know a piece they are learning. It also allows you to spend some really quality time together with no chance of criticism. Get into position on the instrument just as though it is a lesson with ...
Each time you spot a mistake ask yourself a few simple questions to put it right quickly. The following questions are very easy to remember and will help bring focus to specific practice problems. What? What exactly was the issue? Was it a wrong note? Fingering? Or perhaps a dynamic. Be very specific. The more accurately you can ...
Take a step back and look at a problem from a new angle. We all encounter tricky passages when w e practice. Sometimes playing the passage over and over again doesn't seem to solve the problem. Use this method to reduce the problem and clear a path to playing it correctly. When you reach a tricky section clear ...
Link your ears to your eyes so that you can hear what you see. You can use this practice method anywhere! You don't need an instrument, just a sheet of music. Look at the notes and imagine what they would sound like. Look at how big the gaps or jumps are between the notes and hear ...
The most effective practice takes place when we listen completely. All too often however we fail to hear accurately the notes, pitches, rhythms and music we produce. We are so busy focusing on technique that we miss the music. To be a complete listener you need to practice your listening and develop this skill like any other. Begin ...
There are many ways to practice your scales. Instead of the same up and down way try exploring them in different ways. Pick any scale and play it in each of the following ways. Once you have done this you will know the scale much better. Play the scale very slowly. While you are playing listen very ...