1 of 11

Write now Article Tools

If you play a musical instrument, you've undoubtedly been told the importance of practice, but what have you learned about playing for fun or performing your music? Without these other elements, your musical instruction can only go so far.

1. Practice

With any form of musical instruction, students are likely to be lectured on the importance of practice. Practice is essential to learning a musical instrument. Just as an athlete strengthens his or her muscles, a musician needs practice to gain dexterity and control.

Regular practice helps develop muscle memory. When playing a musical instrument, a musician builds muscle memory so his or her fingers can play effortlessly while the music is being read or remembered.

If your musical instrument is your voice or a wind instrument, regular practice will increase lung capacity, build stamina, improve technique, and strengthen the muscles needed to produce music.

In musical instruction, there are many approaches to practice. The amount of time spent practicing is largely based on your goals. For example, if you play a musical instrument as a hobby, your practice time will be much less than that of a professional musician.

Whatever amount of time you devote to practicing a musical instrument, remember that frequency is more important than duration. You will improve more quickly practicing for fifteen minutes every day than you would practicing for two hours once a week.

It may help to divide practice time between building technique, learning new music, and practicing music previously learned, but not yet mastered. This challenges each area of musical instruction. Regular practice of techniques, such as scales, cadences, and arpeggios, improve dexterity and are a great way to warm up at the beginning of your practice.

2. Playing for Fun

Playing for fun is an important element of musical instruction. Music is feeling, emotion, and nuance. Whether you are improvising or playing from written music, your own style is woven through each note. When you love what you are playing, you can feel, and hear, a difference.

When playing for fun, include both improvisation and playing the music you love. This lets you explore music and become familiar with your own reaction to it. It allows you to connect with the music in a new way.

Improvising has no rules. Give yourself permission to try anything, even if some of it sounds awful. In the midst of the stumbled notes, a melody may begin to form. Perhaps you will discover a new lick, riff, or embellishment

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about How practice, play and performance enhance a musical education?
We want to hear your view. Write now!