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Practice Tips for Middle and High School Kids
Brought to you by MENC: The National Association for Music Education. Learning a musical instrument is a family affair! Your child needs your guidance and encouragement. Here are some specific tips on how to create a lasting relationship between your child and his instrument of choice. Help your child set up a regular time every day to practice. Help him establish a routine. This may require some consultation with the teacher. A typical half-hour practice routine might include: Warm up -- 1-3 minutes Play a fun, familiar piece -- 3-5 minutes Work on a new or difficult piece -- 10-15 minutes Work on technical requirements, such as scales or other technique builders -- 5 minutes Play something fun to conclude the session High school students may have more technical problems to work on, but they also have the ability to practice longer in a more concentrated way. Help your child understand that playing only familiar songs will not help her improve. Explain to your child that learning happens in stages. Sometimes a student will work on something for a long time with no apparent improvement, and then discover a sudden leap in ability. Other times, learning happens very quickly. The important thing to stress is that consistent practice will yield results. Help your young musician set practice goals. Keeping a journal, not just a practice chart, helps track the peaks and valleys of learning a new piece or improving fundamental skills. As a parent, don't make judgments about the musical quality of your child's practicing. Learning an instrument requires lots of squeaks, scratches, and wrong notes. It is the responsibility of each band member to practice
his/her individual music outside of band rehearsal time. Practice time should be
spent on scales, music, and etudes assigned by the director or private
instructor. Each student should practice at least TWO hours per week (averages
less than 20 min. per day). Private Lessons |