PRACTICE
Quality, consistent practice is a necessary component of
PROGRESS, ENJOYMENT, & SUCCESS
in all music study!
I teach students HOW to practice, and I set clear expectations and goals
to help them achieve successful practice.
EXPECTATIONS
I expect students to practice 5-6 days every week, and to practice
the amount of time it takes to work on assignments correctly, with attention to quality.
Choosing to take piano lessons = choosing to make practice a priority!
It isn't enough to just attend the lesson.
Learning piano requires daily, committed practice to apply, develop and master
all the skills learned at the lesson.
For Students age 5-18:
Extra-curricular activities such as sports, drama, dance, gymnastic, etc. are NOT considered valid excuses
for not practicing on a regular basis.
Students AND parents should be clear about their readiness to make the necessary time commitment
that is required for piano practice.
Resources
Tools & guides to support mindful, productive practice!
Find more on: Books & Articles page
Practice Tips
8 Tips to Build Excellent Habits and Enjoy Practice!
1. SET UP A REGULAR SCHEDULE.
Make an appointment each day when you plan to practice, and stick with it! Don't wait until you "feel like it," or"if" you have time.
Being consistent everyday is more important than how long you practice: Excellence is a habit!
⭐️ PRO TIP: Put your practice schedule for the whole week in your phone's calendar & create reminder alerts.
⚠️ For PARENTS: Young students can't do this alone - they need A LOT of help learning time management skills, and how to stick to a schedule.
🐷 PIGGY-BACK: Find another consistent event in your daily schedule (dinner time, when you get home from school/work, etc.) and PIGGY-BACK your practice time before or after that so it's easy to remember and stick to.
2. CHOOSE YOUR TIME WISELY.
Choose a time to practice that:
✅ is optimal for YOUR concentration, and
✅ puts to good use ANY available time you have!
💜 Schedule your practice time in smaller sessions at different times of the day. Do you have 15 minutes in the morning? Or 20 minutes in the afternoon? Another 15 minutes after dinner? Find time anywhere you have it!
⭐️ PRO TIP for students: Schedule practice time BEFORE homework!
You'll have better energy and focus to achieve quality learning.
❌ Don't wait until the end of the day or after all your homework is done! You'll run out of time, only practice a small amount, or it will be so late that you're too tired to concentrate well.
3. TAKE BREAKS.
If practicing 30, 45 or 60 minutes straight is tiring, overwhelming, or you're losing focus - take a break!
🔔 Take 5! Try taking a 5 min break after every 15-20 minutes of practice.
Also you might feel better if you:
💧 Drink some water! 🍏 Have a snack!
🧘🏽♀️ Do some yoga stretches or deep breathing, go outside for a walk, hug your pet, or take a power nap.
4. SET GOALS.
Review assignments, instructions and set goals BEFORE you begin practicing each day!
Don't waste time playing through things mindlessly, or just to "see how it goes."
Plan two or three big goals that you need to reach by the end of the week. Then, set small goals each day that will help you stay focused, solve problems, and play mindfully.
⭐️ PRO TIP: Keep a practice log or practice journal to track and organize your goals & tasks.
🎁 TREAT YO'SELF: Plan a reward to give yourself for completing a practice goal! A popsicle, chocolate chips, a video game, a movie, a trip to the bookstore or your favorite café ... something special to look forward to and celebrate your efforts!
5. REMOVE DISTRACTIONS.
Create a practice space that is quiet and free from distractions:
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Ask family members not to interrupt you and to stay out of the practice room while you're working.
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Turn off the TV, if it's in the same room.
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Put devices and phones on silent or Do Not Disturb mode, so alerts don't pop up. Don't text, answer calls, go on social media, or check email during practice time!
⭐️ PRO TIP: Put your phone in another room so you aren't distracted or tempted by it! (unless you need it for a metronome app or music app)
6. FOCUS & RELEASE STRESS.
Feeling stressed or anxious? Is it hard to turn off busy thoughts or things you need to do? Feeling rushed for time and your mind can't sit still?
💜 BREATHE!
Find focus and enjoy productive practice with mindful deep breathing exercises before you begin.
Visit the Wellness page for breathing tips, recommended apps & other resources.
✅ Write it down! Get the busy thoughts out of your head, so they don't use up so much space.
Take 2 minutes and quickly write down whatever is on your mind. Put the list in a separate room, away from your practice space! Now give your brain permission to NOT monitor the list - it's taken care of while you practice!
💃🏽 TAKE A DANCE BREAK! Turn on your favorite tune, move your body, and shake it out for 5 minutes before you practice.
Getting out of your head and back into your body releases tension. Dancing turns off your brain's "survival mode," and turns on a relaxed and loose creative flow.
🕺🏻 PARENTS: A dance break is a great idea for kids who have a short attention span or get tired & wiggly and need to move their body in order to refocus!
7. RECORD YOURSELF.
Use your mobile device to take audio or video recordings of what you're practicing.
Then play it back: be your own teacher, and listen for things that you can fix and improve!
8. HAVE FUN!
"Play is our brain's favorite way of learning." - Diane Ackerman.
And it's scientifically proven!
Use toys and games to make practice more playful: See my ideas in: Practice Toys.
⭐️ Think outside the box: add some new (FUN!) practice strategies, like in THE PIANO STUDENT'S GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE PRACTICING.
💜 Get (even more) CREATIVE:
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Make up lyrics for your piece,
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write a poem or a story to go with the piece,
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draw or paint a picture about it,
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take your favorite part of the piece and improvise or compose something new with it!