Practicing

Practicing
Every once in a while and more so in the last few years, I get people that are interested in taking lessons but do not understand that practice is necessary. They usually come in two types: adults that think learning an instrument is more of an academic exercise like reading a book, and parents that have over-scheduled their child and want a teacher that's "good enough" to make their child good with only 2-3 days of practice instead of 5 or 6. The tough thing is to tell these prospective students that it doesn't work that way. As a music teacher, you sometimes have to teach things other than music reading and counting. Sometime you have to help people understand why.

First, most people are not born knowing how to practice. You actually have to learn how to practice. It is an art that is learned right along with the other aspects of playing an instrument. Many new or inexperienced teachers will do a great job of teaching music reading, playing technique and musicality, but will not help students learn how to practice. Good practice will help students learn and progress quickly. Practice shouldn't be a drudge, but a time of enjoyment. Yes, practice can get tedious at times, but with the right attitude, even that can be a source of enjoyment.

Practice needs to be done everyday, even if just for a few minutes. If you are going to learn how to play an instrument, you actually have to "play" it. You only get better by spending time playing it. It doesn't really matter what you play, as long as you play. While having a lesson or reading a book about playing an instrument may help you understand the theory behind it, you have to have the constant hands on playing experience to really learn it. Playing an instrument is physical almost more than mental. You have to feel it and touch it and move with it. If you are not playing your instrument consistently, then you will not gain that experience.

So when your teacher gives you a bad time about not practicing, realize that they are just concerned that you aren't spending the time with your instrument that you need to truly love it. Just as we spend time with the people we love, we have to spend time with the instruments we love as well.