Music Matters: Practicing your Instrument

Practicing your Instrument

Today we are talking about individuals. Let's start with practicing your instrument (or voice which is also an instrument).

When a person decides to play an instrument they are usually very excited... that is unless a parent told them they had to play it. Let's say a person is excited to start playing an instrument. The practice should be a fun experience. Not that it shouldn't be hard, but it should be enjoyable to know that if you do certain things in progressive steps, you will get better at your instrument.

When I started playing trumpet in third grade, I was told to practice my lessons one hour per day. Albert Einstein said dedicating 15 minutes per day at anything for one year you will become an expert. With that in mind one hour should make you really great! The problem here lies in the motivation behind why someone continues practicing.

A person will run out and purchase an instrument new or used and they will get cracking at it. You can get private lessons or lessons in school if it is offered. The key is to pay attention and really go home and put your hour or more in. The more time you practice correctly the better you will get.

Many students want to sound like a favorite performer or star immediately. They really could care less about the work put in by that artist to get to sound like they do. Just like building a house you have to create a foundation to build on. Correcting errors and making sure it can support all that is to come.

Proper breathing, proper form, proper posture as well as other mechanical things can contribute to a great foundation.  My advice is before you are trying to sing or play like the pros is start at the beginning.

What usually happens is a student will start lessons and get frustrated very quickly because they really can't do what that favorite star is doing. They go to the teacher to learn that. The teacher will set them up with a lesson plan going back to the basics to build the foundation. The student then really doesn't want to do that so they skip doing it and do what they have always done. This ends up harder on the student, they get frustrated and quit. It takes many months of the basics before you can develop your volume, control, technique and presence.

A brand new student who starts young is more disciplined because they really have no reference, they are a sponge and just learn. Each student will grow and learn at a different pace. Some may catch on more quickly than others, but a consistent practice will ensure some level of success in all students. A big problem I always see is when a young student chooses  an instrument, the parents are initially very supportive, but then their tune changes.

They bring the instrument home and start excitedly practicing. Lo and behold after three days the parents are going crazy. The excited young star is running around playing all the time and sounding awful. Well let me let you in on a secret before we get good at anything we have to be bad. That is how we learn. If a kid is playing so much and it is bothering someone then they are doing something right. It means they are playing and hopefully practicing. That is what you want. Very important..do not stop the child from practicing unless it is after a time curfew. The more they use their instrument the better they get. Sound redundant? Good, that is the way any of us get good at anything, repetition.

Another key thing to keep in mind is make sure the instrument is checked periodically by a qualified repair tech because a small leak, messed up bridge, bent valve or any other thing will make the instrument very difficult to play.

One last thing. Instruments can be very expensive. Don't buy new if you can help it. For a person starting out you want a used instrument of good quality for a reasonable price because many students quit due to many reasons. Other activities, boredom, or non support. They end up in closets and the parents are out money.

A person was driving down the road and stopped for directions. He said How do I get to Carnegie Hall.....The gentleman who answered said ...Practice, Practice, Practice. 

That concludes this week Music Matters or a Matter of Music. Have fun and keep practicing.