Performance and Practice Performance and Practice Techniques and TipsTechniques and Tips

What is practice?What is practice?

Practice is not mindless repetition, even Practice is not mindless repetition, even though repetition is involved. Practice is though repetition is involved. Practice is repeating a small portion of a piece (or a repeating a small portion of a piece (or a technical exercise) with a specific goal in technical exercise) with a specific goal in mind. mind. This goal should be small This goal should be small

enough to reach by the end enough to reach by the end of the session so that the of the session so that the student can judge whether student can judge whether or not s/he met the goal. or not s/he met the goal.

Attitude is vitalAttitude is vital

Approach practicing as an Approach practicing as an opportunity to play the opportunity to play the instrument that you enjoy, instrument that you enjoy, and gain satisfaction from and gain satisfaction from improving in your technique improving in your technique and playing ability.and playing ability. Do this for yourself and for no Do this for yourself and for no

one else. Remember that one else. Remember that you’re playing because you you’re playing because you enjoy playing and not because enjoy playing and not because someone told you to play someone told you to play something…something…

Mistakes happen!Mistakes happen!

Remember that making mistakes is a part Remember that making mistakes is a part of practicing. No one is perfect. 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 Everyone makes mistakes and the only way

to fix them is to practice. to fix them is to practice. Work out the sections that Work out the sections that need to be fixed using need to be fixed using some of the following some of the following techniques…techniques…

Mark it up!Mark it up!

Be sure to mark your music. Write in the Be sure to mark your music. Write in the notes and accidentals that you’ve missed notes and accidentals that you’ve missed or the notes that need to be tuned. or the notes that need to be tuned. Visual reminders allow you to play the music Visual reminders allow you to play the music

without constantly thinking about notes.without constantly thinking about notes. Keep a practice log to keep track of the Keep a practice log to keep track of the

time you’ve spent practicing and the goals time you’ve spent practicing and the goals that you’ve reached.that you’ve reached.

Practice techniquesPractice techniques

Change the rhythm of the tricky licksChange the rhythm of the tricky licks Make the task more difficult than it already is so that Make the task more difficult than it already is so that

when you simplify it back to the original form, it is a when you simplify it back to the original form, it is a piece of cake!piece of cake!

• Practice using the short-long, long-short, long-short-short-Practice using the short-long, long-short, long-short-short-short, and even rhythms, respectively.short, and even rhythms, respectively.

• Do each rhythm 10 times perfectly before moving on to the Do each rhythm 10 times perfectly before moving on to the next rhythm.next rhythm.

• Once you’ve practiced each rhythm, play the section evenly Once you’ve practiced each rhythm, play the section evenly about half as fast as it is supposed to be. Gradually work the about half as fast as it is supposed to be. Gradually work the tempo up to performance speed.tempo up to performance speed.

Once you’ve practiced this way, put the section back Once you’ve practiced this way, put the section back into context. This practice technique works wonders!into context. This practice technique works wonders!

Other practice techniquesOther practice techniques Use consistent fingerings – kinesthetic Use consistent fingerings – kinesthetic

memory makes playing almost effortlessmemory makes playing almost effortless Control vs. Chance – be sure that if you Control vs. Chance – be sure that if you

play a section perfectly, it isn’t play a section perfectly, it isn’t an accident and you can do it an accident and you can do it again. Only you know if you again. Only you know if you can successfully play a can successfully play a section of a piece and you section of a piece and you can’t lie to yourself!can’t lie to yourself!

Go for control rather than speed – if you Go for control rather than speed – if you aim for control, speed will take care of itself aim for control, speed will take care of itself

Here are some performance tipsHere are some performance tips

Remember the Audience.Remember the Audience. Allow one or two seconds of silence before Allow one or two seconds of silence before

you begin your performance.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.Relax and enjoy your performance. Be careful not to rush and Be careful not to rush and

“rattle off” a piece because “rattle off” a piece because you’re in a hurry to finish.you’re in a hurry to finish.• This ensures a steady, This ensures a steady,

controlled performance.controlled performance.

More performance tips…More performance tips… If you make a mistake, keep going.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 It is better to continue and wow the

audience with the rest of your piece than audience with the rest of your piece than to start over until you get that one part right. to start over until you get that one part right.

Be sure that you’ve practiced the whole Be sure that you’ve practiced the whole piece.piece. If you’ve practiced one section a lot and another If you’ve practiced one section a lot and another

section only a little, it is likely that you will section only a little, it is likely that you will perform the practiced sections better and the perform the practiced sections better and the unpracticed sections worse.unpracticed sections worse.• Work so that the whole piece is played or sung Work so that the whole piece is played or sung

consistently well.consistently well.

Final performance tipFinal performance tip

When you’ve finished a piece, stay still When you’ve finished a piece, stay still and let the music ring for a bit.and let the music ring for a bit. Don’t look around right away, searching for Don’t look around right away, searching for

applause.applause.• This allows for the end of the piece to sink in with This allows for the end of the piece to sink in with

the audience and shows professionalism and good the audience and shows professionalism and good musicianship on your part.musicianship on your part.

Go get ‘em!Go get ‘em!