By Duane Shinn
|
Subscribe
to Free Piano Sheet Music
I will not spam you or rent,
sell or pimp
your email address. I 100% respect your privacy.
Copyright 2011 © -
Free
Piano Sheet Music
|
|
Is it normal for a student to hate to practice? Anybody else feel this way? Most people love music, but hate to practice.
It's very common for musicians to say they hate to practice. One undesirable aspect of
practicing is the simple fact that the musician must practice passages and techniques that
are difficult for them to play. This creates frustration on the part of the musician and can
make them question their abilities.
Some practice materials are designed specifically to develop technique and playing such
materials can be quite tedious. For example, a violinist may spend most of a one-hour
practice session concentrating on the proper way to hold the bow and draw it across the
strings. In a case like this, no real music may be played for the entire hour. Progress can
be slow, adding to the musician's disdain for practicing.
Lack of motivation can cause the musician to avoid practicing altogether. For most, it
takes years (and a great deal of patience and dedication) to become an accomplished
musician. The ones that succeed are good at delaying gratification and developing the
patience needed to succeed. It's very common for a musician to reach a number of
plateaus where they don't feel any progress is being made. The patient ones eventually
work through the plates and move on to a higher level of musicianship. Others may give
up their instrument entirely.
Having practice sessions at the same time on the same day (although important to getting good results) may be too regimented for some musicians. Music, by it nature, is a very
creative endeavor, often requiring the freedom to experiment and explore new sounds and
styles. Being "stuck to a schedule" doesn't work for some musicians.
The musician's attitude toward practice can have a lot to do with their current teacher or instructor. Some teachers go to great lengths to give their students interesting and enjoyable practice assignments as they realize musicians who enjoy practice, practice longer. An experienced teacher who knows their student well, is very adept at choosing music that develops the musician's skills while giving them something to look forward to playing. Unfortunately, many musicians who need a teacher to keep them focused and practicing may not be able to afford private or group lessons.
Until recent years, methods books for virtually any instrument were quite boring and dry and focused on repetition as being the key element for learning. Method books today often include a number of popular songs, and more interesting and musical materials. Some include an accompanying CD for the student to use for hearing how a piece should be played. You can also find CDs that contain a "backing" band for the student, allowing them to build their musicianship by playing along with others.
Whatever you do, use spaced repetition instead of doing all your practice in one session! If you practice 1 hour per day, break it up into 3 sessions of 20 minutes each. Remember that the mind can only retain what the seat can tolerate. Plus you will keep your concentration better if you only practice 20 minutes in one sitting as opposed to one hour.
Finally, the quality of the instrument being played can have a great effect on the musician's attitude toward practicing. A poorly-made or dull sounding instrument is just not a pleasure to play. Many students find their playing and attitude toward practicing improves when they purchase a better instrument.
Duane Shinn is the author of a free newsletter on piano chords & chord progressions
available at "Piano Practice"
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Duane_Shinn
