Performance and Practice Techniques and Tips

What is practice?  Practice is not mindless repetition, even though repetition is involved. Practice is repeating a small portion of a piece (or a technical exercise) with a specific goal in mind. This goal should be small enough to reach by the end of the session so that the student can judge whether or not s/he met the goal. This goal should be small enough to reach by the end of the session so that the student can judge whether or not s/he met the goal.

Attitude is vital  Approach practicing as an opportunity to play the instrument that you enjoy, and gain satisfaction from improving in your technique and playing ability. Do this for yourself and for no one else. Remember that you’re playing because you enjoy playing and not because someone told you to play something… Do this for yourself and for no one else. Remember that you’re playing because you enjoy playing and not because someone told you to play something…

Mistakes happen!  Remember that making mistakes is a part of practicing. No one is perfect. Don’t dwell on mistakes; fix them. Don’t dwell on mistakes; fix them. Everyone makes mistakes and the only way to fix them is to practice. Work out the sections that need to be fixed using some of the following techniques… Everyone makes mistakes and the only way to fix them is to practice. Work out the sections that need to be fixed using some of the following techniques…

Mark it up! Mark it up!  Be sure to mark your music. Write in the notes and accidentals that you’ve missed or the notes that need to be tuned. Visual reminders allow you to play the music without constantly thinking about notes. Visual reminders allow you to play the music without constantly thinking about notes.  Keep a practice log to keep track of the time you’ve spent practicing and the goals that you’ve reached.

Practice techniques  Change the rhythm of the tricky licks Make the task more difficult than it already is so that when you simplify it back to the original form, it is a piece of cake! Make the task more difficult than it already is so that when you simplify it back to the original form, it is a piece of cake! Practice using the short-long, long-short, long-short-short- short, and even rhythms, respectively.Practice using the short-long, long-short, long-short-short- short, and even rhythms, respectively. Do each rhythm 10 times perfectly before moving on to the next rhythm.Do each rhythm 10 times perfectly before moving on to the next rhythm. Once you’ve practiced each rhythm, play the section evenly about half as fast as it is supposed to be. Gradually work the tempo up to performance speed.Once you’ve practiced each rhythm, play the section evenly about half as fast as it is supposed to be. Gradually work the tempo up to performance speed. Once you’ve practiced this way, put the section back into context. This practice technique works wonders! Once you’ve practiced this way, put the section back into context. This practice technique works wonders!

Other practice techniques  Use consistent fingerings – kinesthetic memory makes playing almost effortless  Control vs. Chance – be sure that if you play a section perfectly, it isn’t an accident and you can do it again. Only you know if you can successfully play a section of a piece and you can’t lie to yourself!  Go for control rather than speed – if you aim for control, speed will take care of itself

Here are some performance tips  Remember the Audience. Allow one or two seconds of silence before you begin your performance. Allow one or two seconds of silence before you begin your performance. This ensures that the audience is ready to listen.This ensures that the audience is ready to listen.  Relax and enjoy your performance. Be careful not to rush and “rattle off” a piece because you’re in a hurry to finish. Be careful not to rush and “rattle off” a piece because you’re in a hurry to finish. This ensures a steady, controlled performance.This ensures a steady, controlled performance.

More performance tips…  If you make a mistake, keep going. Do not get angry, stop and start over. Do not get angry, stop and start over. It is better to continue and wow the audience with the rest of your piece than to start over until you get that one part right.It is better to continue and wow the audience with the rest of your piece than to start over until you get that one part right.  Be sure that you’ve practiced the whole piece. If you’ve practiced one section a lot and another section only a little, it is likely that you will perform the practiced sections better and the unpracticed sections worse. If you’ve practiced one section a lot and another section only a little, it is likely that you will perform the practiced sections better and the unpracticed sections worse. Work so that the whole piece is played or sung consistently well.Work so that the whole piece is played or sung consistently well.

Final performance tip  When you’ve finished a piece, stay still and let the music ring for a bit. Don’t look around right away, searching for applause. Don’t look around right away, searching for applause. This allows for the end of the piece to sink in with the audience and shows professionalism and good musicianship on your part.This allows for the end of the piece to sink in with the audience and shows professionalism and good musicianship on your part.

Go get ‘em!