Strategies for Successful Practice

A basic and general approach to a question frequently asked:
“How do I practice?”

Select a quiet room with:

• your music stand,
• your required music - Essential Elements:2000 and Practice Packet
  
• your shoulder rest on your violin/viola or
• a rock stop on floor for your cello/bass,
• your instrument and
• buckets of concentration!

Warm-up:

• Play or draw an open string with the bow –
  • checking your bow grip every 30 seconds.
• Think about long and beautiful tones.
• Repeat this on all four open strings - no left-hand fingers needed.
• Use a straight bow only - horizontal to the bridge - check you bow grip.
• Mix-up the open string order - check your instrument position.
• Watch your bow path and bow grip!
• Add the D Major scale when you can.

Practicing:

       Essential Elements 2000 and our concert music

• Are you practicing the correct assignment?
  • Check the website for this information for the entire year.
• Practice two measures at a time, first pizzicato - plucking the strings.
• Do this 5X’s in a row correctly.
• Now practice the same two measures, arco - with the bow.
• Do this 5X’s in a row correctly.
• Keep adding to the measures that you have played correctly.
• DON'T JUST SAIL THROUGH YOUR ASSIGNMENT.
• If you have made a mistake,
  • say what went wrong “out-loud.”

BE SURE TO CORRECT the mistake -

• On the next time around - correct your mistake.
  
• Don't watch the clock!

Practice your weekly assignment at least 15 minutes/5 days a week
Practice because you want to – not because you have to!