How to Practice: 5 Tips for Learning Music

Are you one of those people who just knows how to practice? Good for you! Until 15 years ago, that was not me.

When I was younger and even while working on my undergraduate degree, I did not know how to prepare a piece of music. Not great for auditions and competitions!

Practicing is a skill that can be learned. It’s not an inherent ability we’re born with. (Though some are undoubtedly better at focusing. That’s another topic.)

Here are my 5 Tips for Better Practicing:

1. Sections: Divide your music into sections, then subsections. The more difficult you find the piece, the smaller the section should be. If the piece is hard, your section may even be one measure. That’s OK!

2. Brainwork: Choosing one subsection, look at the music and go through it in your brain. What are your notes? Hum the rhythm. What fingerings will you need to make this work? So many students just dive right in and, while I appreciate the enthusiasm, that can create more work in the long run. Study your subsection for notes, rhythms, articulations, dynamics, and fingerings.

3. Metronome*: Starting with one subsection at a time, set your metronome to a slow enough tempo where you will not make a mistake. If you are making mistakes or feeling stressed, slow the tempo. Don’t be afraid to start embarrassingly slowly, you won't be at that tempo too long if you practice effectively. Play your subsection 1-2 times at a slow tempo and then increase the speed gradually by 1-5 beats per minute (bpm). Piano students may need to do this with each hand before putting hands together.

4. Isolate and Drill: Eventually you will become comfortable with your piece and not every section will require as much attention. Isolate your problem areas and drill them, starting from a tempo where you won’t play mistakes up to a faster bpm.

5. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat: Practice is repetition. To keep yourself motivated and stay focused, change things up. Alter the rhythm of technical passages. Play the Back Up Game. Start in a different section and work outwards. Flutists, try practicing the passage with breath attacks or throat singing to also work on your tone.

*About that metronome…Remember the metronome is your friend. It’s not there to shame you for not pla

ying fast enough! Other than practicing itself, I believe it is one of the greatest tools to become a better musician. I’ve also noticed a deeper level of concentration for my students with ADD and ADHD. They find a zone incomparable to playing without one.

For more thoughts and ideas, here’s a TedEd video on how to practice. Having trouble getting your kids (or yourself) to practice? Try this NPR video with tips and tricks.

Your turn! What helps you to learn music?

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I'm Rose. I'm a private flute/piano teacher in Duluth, MN and a Music Director at a church. I've been teaching since 1997 and I'm passionate about helping people reach their goals.

Interested in studying with me? Visit my contact page.