10 Ways to Practice Music in Your Daily Life
A lot of us complain that we don’t have enough time for the things we enjoy. With our busy lives, practicing music is often dropped for more “important” tasks.
Staying motivated to practice is also difficult, especially if you’re learning a new piece or struggling with a tricky movement. But there are ways to increase your musical knowledge and skills.
Over the next two weeks, our blogs will share 10 ways to stay inspired as you learn to play your favourite instrument.
1. Learn To Read Music: Reading sheet music is an important skill to master, as it opens a door to a wider variety of music. Find time during your day to practice your reading. You can read the musical piece’s sheet music while listening to it, or during a break from work while sipping your coffee.
2. Listen To Music: This might seem obvious but listening to a piece of music while learning it helps you notice mistakes. The piece won’t “sound right” as you play.
3. Visualize Playing the Instrument: Close your eyes and mentally see yourself playing the instrument. Just as an athlete visualizes winning a big game, you can see yourself playing the piece flawlessly. Practicing is as much a mental activity as a physical one.
4. Break It Down: It can take hours of practice to learn an entire song, even short ones. Break down the song into smaller segments and work on them independently. This increases your success and encourages you to continue mastering the piece without the countless hours of practice.
5. Set Shorter Practice Times: You don’t need to lock yourself in a room for days on end to learn to play music. This leads to “burn out” and discourages future practice. Instead, practice in 20-30 minute blocks, and then take a short break. If you feel good at the end of 30 minutes, it’s o.k. to keep going.
Next week we’ll share the five other tips to help you practice music. For now, consider taking a course from the Belinda Brady Arts Academy. Our skilled, knowledgeable teachers can help you find your love for music.
Written by: Nicole Holas
