Practice routines

When practicing an instrument it can help to have a practice routine, or a set of practice routines that you rotate through.

This keeps you focused and ensures that you spend your time effectively. It does mean that practicing will take some more mental effort because you’ll likely be focusing more than you would if you didn’t create a routine. But it also means that each practice session will be more effective.

One way to think about it is to take 2 minutes before you start practicing and plan out what you want to work on.

This is something that conductors and directors regularly do before rehearsals and before practicing with a large group. They’ve got their ensemble there for a limited amount of time and want to ensure that they use that time effectively. The same can be done with practicing your own instrument.

Take a few minutes before, plan out what you’ll practice before you start. It could just be two or three things, but just taking that extra few minutes to plan it will keep you so much more focused.

One other aspect of this to remember is that sometimes you may just want to play. So make time to play and don’t structure it. Having those two different ways to play and practice your instrument will help you focus on both improving your playing and hopefully help you enjoy playing your instrument better.

ISJ