If so inclined, please participate in the Practice Questionnaire:
http://beststudentviolins.com/Practice_Tips.html#questionnaire
Initial entry includes:
Practice Questionnaire
If you would like to comment, some areas might include (but are not
limited to):
1. Do you use any books or charts to organize your practice?
* Yes. I use Burton Kaplan's practice log. So far, it's the only
planner that's been effective for me. It allows you to see what you
need to work on, and most of all how much time is actually spent
playing in the practice session as opposed to how much time the
session lasted.
2. Do you organize your practice time in any specific way?
* Yes. I start slow with scales in doublestops, arpeggios, or a
3 octave scale. I don't spend any more than 8 mins. on it since I
don't want to waste valuable brain time on exercises. I then play
whatever requires the most brain attention 1st. Like, a new piece,
something difficult, something I need/want to memorize. Basically it
goes in the order of what needs to most attention to what needs the
least attention. In between each thing, I'll sneak in 5-10 mins. of
some exercise or etude. Usually it's something from a book that goes
along with a piece I'm playing, or something I wrote to go along with
a piece I'm playing. I also like to throw in something fun to amuse
myself.
3. What practice methods have you found to be most successful?
* I've found many things that are effective. They usually go
along with the pieces I'm playing. One thing might work for that one
thing, but something else might work for a different thing.
4. Do you set practice goals?
* 4.&5. I always set practice goals from very short term, like
what I want to accomplish that day, to very long term, like what I
want to do a year or 2 from now.
5. Do you have long- and short-term practice goals?
*
6. Do you practice differently for different objectives?
* Absolutely! Especially since I play so many different styles.
7. If you teach, how do you talk to students about their
practicing?
* I show them ways to practice, what parts of thier other books
are useful tools, what needs to be focused on the most, etc. I also
encourage them to mess around with their instruments and write their
own songs. I've found that some kids just do that anyway with or
without your blessing. But, if you encourage it, you'll see how many
great little composers you have among your students.
I do 2 things to inspire them to play at home. The biggest thing
I say to them is to not think of it as practice. Practice sounds like
homework, and who likes that? I tell them to PLAY. That sounds more
fun. I also have them get something fun to play that they like. I have
some things, but it's better when they seek it out themselves. I've
had home playing go up from 10 mins. twice a week to 2 hours everyday
because they were having fun with the music. Isn't having fun the
whole point?
Please add my responses.
Thanks!
|
