How To Practice - Quick Tips

Copy in Detail

Mike Saville — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:58:41 +0000

70Many musicians, especially in pop music learn by copying. If you are one of these people make sure that when you copy your favourite music that you get all the details. Don't just play the notes but try to play with the same sound, rhythm and feel as the music you hear. The more detail you can copy the better player you will become.

Fix the reason not the note

How To Practice — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:31:34 +0000

69Mistakes are made during practice. That's great as without them we wouldn't know what to improve.

When you do play a wrong note the worst you can do is to quickly correct it and move on without thinking. If you do this you will make the same kind of mistake again because you have not fixed the underlying cause of the mistake.

Instead stop a moment and think about why you made the mistake. Did you know the note? Did you stretch the right distance? Did you concentrate?

Fix the reason and that wrong note will stay permanently fixed. Read more . . .

Pro-active Practice

Mike Saville — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:42:39 +0000

681. Play without much thought.
2. Make a mistake.
3. React to that mistake.
4. Play again.
5. Make a different mistake.
6. React to that mistake . . . . . .

Sound familiar?

Make sure your practice is pro-active by planning what you will do beforehand and by playing slowly enough that you don't make silly mistakes.

Rhythmic Feeling

Mike Saville — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:13:10 +0000

67Being able to count a pulse or rhythm out loud is one thing. It's quite another to feel it . Make sure you really internalise rhythms by singing, tapping, clapping and most of all feeling them.

Don't let perfect prevent progress

Mike Saville — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:08:32 +0000

66In other fields it's known as analysis paralysis. In music practice it's called perfectionism. Believed by most to be a good thing it can at times be harmful.

Make sure you don't get stuck on any one thing aiming for unreachable perfection. Sometimes good is good enough. Move on to something new and keep progressing.

Beware Inattention

Mike Saville — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:06:20 +0000

65If you don't pay attention during music practice mistakes can creep in.

Be sure not to compound the mistake by ignoring it. Fix it properly.

Two Modes of Music Practice

Mike Saville — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:08:30 +0000

64Be aware of the difference between playing and practice.

Playing is unthinking time with the instrument and you may not get better - you might even get worse.

Practice is where you improve. Try to spend most of the time with your instrument in practice mode.

Don't be a fool!

Mike Saville — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:15:15 +0000

63If you make a mistake, be honest. Own up - you didn't know it well enough.
Don't fool yourself with one of the following excuses:

That never happened before
I wasn't concerntrating
Well nobody's perfect
I got distracted
Sounds pretty good really
I don't know why I got nervous

Have Patience

Mike Saville — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:43:03 +0000

62
If you expect to become a superb musician overnight then I suggest you go and do something else.

Music practice can sometimes be hard and improvements difficult to see, yet have some patience and you will become a fine musician in the end.

Remember yesterday?

Mike Saville — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 07:10:24 +0000

61Failing to remember what you learnt in your last practice session can really hinder your progress.

Make sure to review what you covered at the end of each practice session. Also, at the start of your next session, think back to what you learned last time.