by Tony Teets

Created on: February 25, 2007   Last Updated: April 02, 2007

Practicing instruments is not easy and doesnt get any easier. But the rewards of doing something that you havent done before are great. There has been this saying "practice makes perfect" while this is not entirely true (no one can be perfect, there is always something you can learn), the more you practice the better you will be.

I use many techniques with practicing. Most of these will apply to almsot every instrument.

1. I usually start off by warming up. This is usually a few repeats of the chromatic scale, and doing various exercises. On the guitar you could make up a pattern on one string, and move it to other strings, or move it up and down frets. For the piano you could play a simple tune in different keys. anything to get your fingers (or whatever you use to play) warmed up.

2. Next you should play through as many scales as possible.If you play a stringed instrument, play the scale all over the neck, so you know where all the notes are. then move onto a different scale and do the same. this will improve your knowledge of the fretboard and the scales. play the scales along to a metronome, which will improve your timing.

3. It is always good to learn new songs, in genres you dont usually listen to or play. This will improve your playing because it is bringing new ideas into your playing.

4. Improvise. This is probably one of the best ways to practice because you will get a greater understanding of how to play because you are bringing all the techniques you know together, and if you write music, you can come up with new and interesting ideas.

5. I find that playing a piece of music on an instrument that it wasnt intended for is a great way of improving. for example, if you play guitar, then learn a violin piece. The tunings are different, so you will find that you may have to stretch to different frets you wouldn't usually go to, or if you play piano, try playing a piece for two different instruments, such as double bass and violin. You will have different rhythms that you wouldn't normally encounter in a piano piece.

6. After you have practiced try playing a piece you knew before, but try to play it better. No one can play a piece perfectly, you can always improve. try to improve on everything you have done before. Maybe you started to learn a piece, but never got round to finishing it. If this is the case, then finish it.

7. now warm down. This may seem pointless, but it is a very good thing to do. After you have been practicing a piece for a long time, you could feel down or annoyed because you cant play a certain bar, so play a piece you know well and then you will feel good because you are doing something well.

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