I used to hate practicing my trumpet when I was young. I never knew what to do! The band director told us to practice to get better, but I never knew exactly how to do that. I’d play a “C” scale a couple of times, then a piece or two that our band was working on, but we played them over and over and over again at band practice — it wasn’t very interesting playing it again by myself and I never felt that it helped me get any better.
Good reason for this — THAT was NOT practicing!
A good practice session does help you improve — by practicing fundamentals and techniques, by rehearsing current tunes, and by exploring new ones. Here’s how your practice session time might break down:
1/3 time: Practice fundamentals and scales. Scales. Scales. Scales. Did I mention scales? Don’t just play the same C major scale over and over — get a scale book (or locate some through http://www.freesheetmusic.net) and practice major and minor scales in all keys. Explore different scales and modes — Phrygian, Mixolydian, etc. Definately practice Pentatonic scales and blues scales (comes in handy when you start improvising solos). When I was first starting band way, way back, we had a guest conductor one day. He was a fairly popular local trumpet player with a really hot band. He held up a book of scales (that little blue book that everyone has seen) and said “If you can play everything in here, you’ll be one of the best players in the world!” We didn’t believe him, of course. Now that I’m much, much, much older, I can see that he was right! Play scales and learn them by heart. Practice different speeds, slurring, not slurring (I don’t know how to spell tonguing!), etc. String players too! Play staccato and legato. Alternate every other note.
1/3 time: Practice current tunes. These will be tunes your band (or you, if you’re solo) are currently learning or working on. Do this to learn and understand the tunes better, but don’t do it until you’re bored sick! Think about the tunes — try to detect the chord changes.
1/3 time: Practice new tunes and techniques. This is the fun part of practice. Put the old stuff away and work on new things. Try to sight-read new pieces; try to play pieces by ear. Play different parts. Try improvising a solo to a jazz or blues background. Try playing different genres of music. Experiment! Play! Have fun!
Whether you practice 1/2 hour a day … or 8 hours a day … you’ll find a 1/3-1/3-1/3 practice split will help you improve, keep you interested, and keep you entertained and excited!
Until next time, practice, practice, practice!
Joey
April 11, 2008 at 9:05 am
Hello Joey! I’ve enjoed reading your article about practice praling music! If you write anywhere else, I’d like to know
Thanks a lot!!!
Maria
September 17, 2008 at 11:34 am
Hi Joey. I know you wrote this months ago and I just found it today, but this kind of advice never goes out of style! I’m a professional musician, having put a career into one of the premiere military bands in Washington, and now freelancing and teaching. I don’t know how this has escaped the current generation – you must practice, and practice right, in order to progress in music. I love your description of 1/3 technique, 1/3 pieces and 1/3 reading- it’s one way to organize a student’s practice time and there are many ways, as long as it IS organized!
I especially love that you suggest giving time to new music every day. When I was young my mom would listen to my practice and if she heard me rummaging around in the piano bench and then playing movie music, I was in big trouble! I had to finish my hour or two first (depending on my age at the time – this was a chronic issue) and only then could I be allowed to pull out the coveted “tune books” and play what I was craving to play. Now as a teacher, I keep sight reading materials with me at all times, and if we finish the student’s material (I split the materials for the music store students so they’re only doing half their work at each lesson, and there is extra time) then we can sight read. I like to put sight reading into every lesson, and the students who have done that for years are so much ahead of their school compatriots!
Thanks for your food for thought, although it’s well preserved food by now! I’m going to print your message and bring it to my students this week. Let them chew on it too
Judy
October 22, 2008 at 5:47 am
I have one kid. I just started piano for the first time four months ago. I knew that practice time would be a challenge, so I set the goal of getting on the piano every day. Not for a specific amount of time, because my time is frequently not under my control. It is not uncommon for me to start practicing and then the kid come in and want attention. I ended up buying an electronic keyboard, so if all else fails, I can practice with the headphones on after everyone else goes to bed. In reality, I probably get in 20-30 minutes a day, 7 days a week. I think being consistent about doing it everyday helps the most. I also have a teacher who understands the time limits when you have small kid (and a wife). Afterall, reality is reality.