OPO’s Tips for Practicing Towards Perfection
Do musicians like practicing? I think every kid in music lessons across the national capital region already whined their response. And while professional musicians may say “of course,” we know they succumb to procrastination like us all. However, we all know it's both necessary and worth it (who doesn’t want to play Pirates of the Caribbean in front of a live audience?). So how do musicians motivate themselves to open their instrument case, clean their reed and start reading the sheet music?
Here are a few tips and tricks to help all musicians, both newbies and veterans, to break the procrastination streak:
Block distractions: Life is full of them, so it's important to reserve a place as your sanctuary for practice. Practicing will become much more effective and efficient in an environment that is calm and distraction free.
Schedule: Organize practice time a week at a time and divide it evenly so it seems less overwhelming. It's also a good approach to remember previous rehearsals and to retain progress moving forward.
Set Goals: Be specific about the kind of progress and milestones you want to achieve. Write down your goals so you can hold yourself to account and reward yourself when you reach them.
Use a Metronome: Enough said.
Record Yourself: A record of your practice provides musicians with a good perspective to evaluate their performances and discern what needs improvement. It also provides the ability to compare their rendition of a piece with another musician (i.e. a recording on the internet).
Focus on the Crux: It's all too easy to practice the parts you already know – it provides instant satisfaction and its enjoyable to play. I believe the proper psychological term here is “avoidance” and it is the best method to self-sabotage your practicing efforts. It is best to spend your time practicing the hardest parts. Where to start? See below.
Chunking: If you split the hard parts by breaking it into chunks, the whole process seems less daunting and is more effective than playing a piece from start to finish every time.
By employing just a few of these tips, you may just find your practicing productivity skyrocket to new heights all the while having some fun and learning a great skill. You’ve got this!
📷@_curtisperry
