We all know that practice is the single most important element in making progress on your musical instrument. The space in which we practice does not have to be a dedicated room or studio. The corner of a bedroom is all that is required. However, efficient practice can be achieved by the creation of a work-friendly and organised practice space with some essential tools that will make whatever practice space you use conducive to progress towards the mastery of your chosen instrument.
We can never truly achieve the perfect practice space but there are a few easy solutions to making a space as workable as possible to practice an instrument.
Some things that come to mind include a sturdy and reliable music stand and adequate seating. The instrument you play will often determine your seating arrangements. A piano bench is useful for most instrument practice however some people like to use an armless chair or to simply stand. A space and support for your instrument, such as an instrument stand, is very helpful too. Most musicians find that when their instrument is constantly in full view they are likely to do more frequent practice.
A good supply of paper and manuscript for setting goals and jotting down musical ideas is important. A journal for recording progress can be as simple as a spiral bound note pad or as cutting edge as a digital recording device. A good quality and compact digital recorder can be invaluable in providing the practicing musician with instant and absolutely honest feedback on their progress and is a great practice tool for ensemble work. With a recording of your practice you will hear wrong notes, shaky rhythms, problems with phrasing and dynamics. You will instantly be able to improve your playing by rectifying what you can so obviously hear in your recording.
An analogue or digital metronome is vital but often overlooked. It is very important for a novice musician to get into the habit of keeping good time. Many metronomes now have built in tuners. A well tuned instrument is important for developing a good ear and essential for ensemble performance.
Whenever you are thinking about adding an object to your practice space a key consideration must be: will this item add to my comfort, encourage me to practice, facilitate progress and help eliminate distractions?
What distractions can you eliminate? Practice is a good time to turn off mobile phones, computers and television. Make sure the people who live with you understand how important your practice is to you and let them know how much you appreciate them not interrupting.
Once you have set up your practice space it should ideally be left set up. However if your circumstances do not allow for a permanent practice space you can keep all your necessary items in a case or container. This can then become a portable practice kit which can be taken anywhere.
However you set up your practice space your primary motivation should be to more effectively learn music and to create a space that will inspire you to spend more time learning your instrument. It's a simple equation: more practice = better musician!
Glenn Davey is a director of Creative Music for Schools Creative Music for Schools - Australian based music educators and retailers of musical instruments and print music. Creative Music has been a major Music Program Service Provider in schools since 1989 and has been responsible for giving the gift of music to thousands of Australian children.
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