Practice Space: Preparing to succeed

A slightly tongue in cheek post today.

1. ​Send the spouse out for a long walk with the dog.
2. Put on the phone on "do not disturb" setting
3. Collect up your tools: pencil, recordings of your pieces, headset for listening, lesson notes, all your music.
4. Review your lesson notes and ask, "what one thing can I fix or improve today?"
5. Warmup by playing some old favourite to remind yourself you really are making progress.
6. Now to practice! Having decided what one thing you will improve on today, have a listen to a professional recording of the problem area.
7. Write in the fingering on every note next.
8. Now playing as slow as needed, work through the section. If that is unsuccessful, ask your self why.
   1. notes?
   2. rhythm?
   3. fingering?
   4. playing too darn fast?
   5. bored?
9. Cures for boredom:
   1. enjoy the journey, concentrating only on the goal can rob the immediate experience of joy.
   2. the goal of every musician is to practice, which means to live in the moment.
   3. slow down, so that you get used to hearing it played properly, otherwise your ears get used to hearing it played haltingly and awkwardly: have faith, slow practice really, really works.

Cheers,

​David

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