Practice Chart 09-10

Practice Tips for Middle and High School Kids

Brought to you by MENC: The National Association for Music Education.
Learning a musical instrument is a family affair! Your child needs your guidance and encouragement. Here are some specific tips on how to create a lasting relationship between your child and his instrument of choice.


Help your child set up a regular time every day to practice.

Help him establish a routine. This may require some consultation with the teacher. A typical half-hour practice routine might include:

Warm up -- 1-3 minutes
Play a fun, familiar piece -- 3-5 minutes
Work on a new or difficult piece -- 10-15 minutes
Work on technical requirements, such as scales or other technique builders -- 5 minutes
Play something fun to conclude the session
High school students may have more technical problems to work on, but they also have the ability to practice longer in a more concentrated way.

Help your child understand that playing only familiar songs will not help her improve.

Explain to your child that learning happens in stages. Sometimes a student will work on something for a long time with no apparent improvement, and then discover a sudden leap in ability. Other times, learning happens very quickly. The important thing to stress is that consistent practice will yield results.

Help your young musician set practice goals. Keeping a journal, not just a practice chart, helps track the peaks and valleys of learning a new piece or improving fundamental skills.

As a parent, don't make judgments about the musical quality of your child's practicing. Learning an instrument requires lots of squeaks, scratches, and wrong notes.

It is the responsibility of each band member to practice his/her individual music outside of band rehearsal time. Practice time should be spent on scales, music, and etudes assigned by the director or private instructor. Each student should practice at least TWO hours per week (averages less than 20 min. per day).

Practicing assures that the student is strengthening fundamental skills and learning assigned music. Furthermore, the individual improvement will directly affect the overall improvement, abilities, and success of the entire band. Parents are asked to help their son/daughter set aside a quiet place and time for practice on a regular basis.
 

Private Lessons

The value of one-on-one instruction with a professional on a student's instrument cannot be overstated. Private instruction is key to the advancement of individual skills and integral in achieving students' highest potential. Students are strongly encouraged to take lessons with a private instructor. You will increase the rate of improvement and success on your instrument by a substantial margin.

To obtain a private instructor,  you may see the director or contact your local music store.