The correct way of practicing is crucial if we want to achieve an outstanding level of playing in our performance goals in whatever stage we are as musicians. Practicing our instrument takes great discipline, and we should develop it as we go along. There are no shortcuts to putting in the required amount of work when we want to achieve our goals. When one does not practice for a day, two days, then more days, the lack of quality becomes evident in one's playing. And following healthy practicing habits makes our journey smoother. Therefore, ask yourself if you make the following mistakes when practicing.
Playing the repertoire in tempo from the onset means practicing too fast. It does not mean that we should never practice fast; it just means that in the initial stages, we should not become impatient by wanting to achieve our goal of playing a composition as soon as possible. So, getting anxious and playing fast right away will not work their magic as we wish because our muscles, thus the brain, have not yet learned that particular piece. It has not assimilated the information, but pushing yourself hard does not help when it would be better to relax and take things slowly.
Another problem is not spending the appropriate amount of time practicing. We somehow manage to practice four days a week, and the rest of the days, we do not practice and then hope that things will miraculously end in our favor. Or we practice too little even when we play every day. Teachers, instructors, or professors can tell each student the time they should spend in the practice room based on ability and level of playing. And they should do their best to follow those guidelines.
When correcting a particular technical passage, we avoid using the metronome. The metronome is helpful when we are having difficulty keeping time with some passages. It does not mean that we should use it forever. So, it is highly recommended that we use it as needed.
We also give in to modern-day distractions like phones and messages.
When we begin practicing, it is good to put things aside and devote our time just to that activity. Not doing so can become stressful for a player, and we should work on eliminating stress when we are practicing.
Last but not least, we don't focus while we are practicing. Our minds are elsewhere. Instead of thinking about the piece we are playing, we will think of something we will do next. In other words, we play the notes but do not hear what we are doing.
Therefore, think about music only when in the practice room. Put in a reasonable amount of time and attempt to stick to your set goals. Use the metronome when needed, and then free yourself from it. Do not get hung up on it, either. Play at a reasonable tempo and proceed after you have worked on difficult passages. Do not attempt to play the music fast. Practice your part slowly. More critical is setting goals before practicing and sticking to them.
Next time you practice, go into your room studio with this mindset and test it for yourself. Do these tips help you improve your playing?
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