First of all, welcome back! It’s amazing to believe that we are now into a new school year. Where did the summer go? I feel as though every year goes that much faster. I am very excited to be starting a “new year” within my studio, welcoming new students and continuing with current students!
Fall is the best time to start a new routine and practice schedule. School is starting, our routine changes from the “laid back” schedule of summer, and the “busyness” of running from place to place begins again. So when can you find time to practice or have your student practice? This blog will be very helpful to get into a great practice routine!
One of the most common phrases I hear from my students when I ask about practicing is “I just had no time! I was so busy!” If practicing becomes a part of the students’ daily routine, it won’t feel as though the student is “too busy” to practice. As the student practices more consistently, I am sure you will see a lot less frustration as he or she is practicing. Generally, practicing should be happening 5 or 6 times a week. That may seem like a lot, but if it is more consistent, you as the parent, the student, and I as their instructor will hear and see a huge difference in not only his or her piano/voice, but also a much happier attitude about music in general.
The first thing to do is to look at your student’s schedule. Identify specific days of the week where he/she are busy with extracurricular activities. It is best to avoid these and look for a time that is consistently available throughout the week. Try not to leave it too close to bed time though, as the best practice happens before the student is too tired.
The next thing is to determine how long the student should be practicing. The general rule is the shorter the pieces, the shorter the practice time. Beginning students should really only be practicing 10-15 minutes every practice session. As the pieces become longer, generally it should be about 15-20 minutes. As time progresses and pieces become more difficult, practicing should be at least 30 minutes per session.
Break everything up into sections. The student doesn’t always have to practice the song from top to bottom 5 times through. If the student has a trouble measure or line, stop, work on that line 3-5 times, then continue. This will be a big help as the student works on the piece and will be able to progress much better.
It is very important to break long, complicated songs into sections. This is much more effective than skipping over problem spots while playing through the whole song. I will go into more depth about this in my next blog post.
Environment is extremely important for successful practice. Is the piano in an area that is away from distraction? Is the tv going nearby or is a brother/sister distracting the student while trying to practice? If there is any way possible, it is best to have the piano in a different room away from distractions. If this isn’t possible, make sure all distractions are temporarily turned off or put away to allow full concentration while practicing.
No matter what, practicing can be a challenge at times, but remember, your student is learning a wonderful art that he/she can have with them forever. I cannot tell you how many times I have had students in the past tell me that they were having a rough day and sat down to sing or play and they instantly felt better. This art will be with your student always, so thank you for allowing me to teach my passion to your student!
I am looking forward to a wonderful school year! As always, please don’t hesitate to ask if you need help with anything!
Sephra