How to get the most out of your practice session

Let's face it; life is crazy busy. And with all that craziness, sometimes it is hard to get an efficient, productive practice in the little time you have to devote to your instrument. But, practice is the key to improvement! No matter how short some of your practice sessions may be, remember: Some is better than none! Here are a few tips on getting the most out of your study.

#1: Be organized

When sitting down at the piano, getting ready to practice, you should have an idea of what you need to accomplish. Is it technique? Memorization? Sight-reading? Set a goal for each practice, so you can come away from it feeling like you have accomplished something. It is essential to have a detailed and organized practice routine! Some musicians find it helpful to plan and write out their daily practice routine in a daily planner.

#2: Warm up

Sometimes neglected, the warm up is an important part of your daily practice. Scales, arpeggios, cadences, chords, etudes....all of these things help you play cleaner, stronger and more accurate . If you don't properly warm up before you begin practicing your repertoire, you may risk getting a hand/tendon/joint related injury.

#3: Set a time

To have successful practice week, you must decide on what time of day you'd like to begin your practice. Some people work best in the morning, others at night. If you have a lot of materials to get through, you may have to get in two practice sessions in one day!

After you have come up with your time, and stick to it. Your day will run smoother if you have an 'agenda' to follow; this goes in with being organized. Stick to the time you have allotted for your practice sessions.

#4: Don't force it

There may be some days when you feel that it is too hard to focus; you just don't feel like practicing.

While this state of mind shouldn't happen often, sometimes it does and we have to deal with it. you can do one of two things:

1) Buckle up and do it. Often times, after we set our minds to work, we begin kind of get set in the mood of working.

or

2) Take a break. If you really can't focus, get up and walk around; maybe go make some tea, take a stroll outside. Clear your mind for a while, and then try again. Don't get discouraged if you're not feeling it; sometimes this happens and that's okay!

#5: Practice smarter, not harder

Make sure you are using your time smartly and efficiently. Instead of trying to get through the entire piece, focus on a page (of maybe just 8-12 bars). Practice hands separate! Perfect each hand separately, then you may put them together. Next, perfect that. Don't move on until your section is perfected and memorized (or at least, nearly). 'In the long run, it is smarter to practice your repetoire in this fashion; instead of having the whole piece clumsily playable, you will have a fraction of it perfected, phrased and articulate. Work like this, learning a little bit more every day, and you will be much better off.