• Practice Tips for Students:

    • If a piece is tricky, take small chunks. Focus on one or two measures at a time. You can also take a break, play something you know well, then go back to the piece you were working on. 

    • Have a set time in your daily routine for practice. Pick a time that can be the same everyday. 

    • Be sure to play at least 5 days each week. Playing for a few minutes for a lot of days is better than playing for an hour the night before your lesson. 

    •  Set daily playing goals- for example, learn the first line of one song, master a measure that is tricky. 

    • Remember, think of practicing as a meal. The warm-ups are your appetizer, solo pieces are your veggies and dinner, and the pop songs are your dessert. Try to start with the tricky pieces first. You should always finish playing with a fun song. 

    • Have your parents help you find a special place to practice. 

    • Find recordings of the songs you are playing. YouTube and iTunes are great resources to find the pieces. The more you listen to them, the more familiar you are with them. 

    • Go to a concert! Seeing a professional band, or even our High School Band perform is really exciting! 

    • Play a concert for your family. 

    • Teach a lesson to a family member or friend. 

    • Most importantly, remember that playing should be fun, not stressful!

     

    Practice Tips for Parents:

    • Have your child give you a concert on a piece they have learned. 

    • Ask your child to give you a lesson and teach you how to play. 

    • For a difficult piece, have your child play small chunks instead of the whole thing. 

    • Have a set time in your daily routine for practice- to ease in, feel free to start with a 5 minute time slot. 

    • Students should practice at least 5 days each week. Even practicing short period of time more frequently will help them learn faster. 

    •  Help your child set a playing goal- an example would be to learn the first line of one song, master a measure that is tricky. 

    • If something is frustrating, students should go back and play something they are familiar with to regain focus. 

    • Have a place at home to practice. Don’t send children to their room so you can’t hear them. Practice is most successful when parents can be involved. 

    • Find recordings of the songs they are playing and encourage them to listen.