Effective Practice

A big worry among my students is finding adequate time to practise. Time is valuable to everyone - adults and children alike; with practice it is a case of quality over quantity. It is possible to accomplish more in two hours of concise, effective practice, than six hours of directionless noodling! In this article, I discuss how to make the most of your practice time, whether it be for 30 minutes, or 8 hours!

Practice should always take the path of least resistance, covering the most number of topics, and requiring the least amount of physical effort. Although certain exercises and routines are essential, it is possible to accomplish two or more separate aims at the same time. Let's take a look at the components of an effective practice routine. I have tried to incorporate both jazz and classical idioms in this;

• Technique: Trains dexterity and technical facility, as well as linking the cognitive 'thinking' process with the physical 'doing' process. This covers scales, arpeggios, patterns and for wind instruments, tone production. For jazz musicians, the study of language also falls under this heading.

• Repertoire: Trains the ability to recall memorised material, and the ability to embed musical information quickly and effectively. This informs the ability to sight-read, gain familiarity with new material, and heighten the effectiveness of performance.

• Concept/Forms/Musicality: Specific passages in music, heightening performance effectiveness with dynamics, articulation, shape and form. Listening to recordings and taking elements from them. For jazzers, practising melodic development in improvisation.

 Self-assessment is key to effective practice. Practice is the desire to improve, and should target weaknesses, not strengths. Ask yourself what are my weaknesses? Be honest, target your problems and act accordingly. Ensure that every minute of your practice is aimed towards getting better, not polishing what you can already do. Record yourself every day! This can be a brutal and eye-opening experience, but will certainly help you to analyse your own playing more effectively.

These three components can be practised in varying levels of depth, depending on your time constraints. The key is to try and practise more than one element simultaneously. The simplest of methods is that which begins with the thought processes involved in practice.

For example, practising tone production is an essential component of each day, but this need not be confined to specific exercises. Make all of your time at the instrument about excellent tone production. Constantly asses your own ability to make a good sound in all contexts. With this kind of awareness, you can improve in multiple directions simultaneously.

Relax. Physical relaxation is key, especially when working on technique. Tension merely serves to impede physical movement, inhibit thought processes, and cloud motor control. Regularly remove your hands from the instrument, clear your mind, and ensure you are in a state of physical relaxation before continuing the exercise. Maintain good posture and keep your limbs loose. Practise slow, not fast. Speed comes naturally with time. Prematurely rushing exercises serves only to build tension in the muscles.

A wandering mind is the mental equivalent of muscular tension. Ensure that your mind doesn't wander from the exercise in point. Concentration is key to extracting all of the value from an exercise. If your mind wanders, take a step back from the instrument, clear your mind, relax and move on with the exercise.

This is just an introduction to the whole concept of effective practise. There's always ways to improve your learning methods.

HAPPY PRACTICE!

Tom