Practicing Guide
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Home Practice Guide - Parents
One of the most important aspects of playing a musical instrument is the ability to practice
correctly. While time and regularity of practice is very important, the quality of the practice is
the true determining factor in a musician’s rate of improvement. In fact, 20 minutes of focused
and correct practice is more effective than an hour of poor practice.
Practice Environment
In order for our students to get the most out of their practice session, we have a couple of
suggestions. The first suggestions will involve the practice environment. Their environment
should be:
• Quiet & Calm – Much like studying, practicing an instrument is mostly mental. Their
practice area should resemble a library as close as possible… with the exception that they are
playing their instruments.
• Good Temperature – Sometimes students practice in the garage to avoid disturbing other
people in the house. This is okay as long as the temperature in the garage is 65 – 80 degrees.
Bad temperatures can cause their instrument to not work, and can cause them to not enjoy
practicing.
• Chair and Stand – It is important that their practice area allow them to sit in the exact same
position they do during class time. A solid chair is important to help them use the correct
posture. Their music should be in a place that they do not have to bend over to see it. Wire music
stands are available for purchase at the band hall.
• Use a Tuner – It is important that students constantly checking to make sure they are playing the correct pitch by using their tuner. The students have been taught how to use their tuner properly.
• Use a Mirror – It is important that students constantly check their embouchures to make
sure they are being formed correctly. Small mirrors on their music stands are ideal. Bathroom
mirrors work as well.
Practice Sounds
As parents, you may not be able to help your child with band homework like you can with math
homework. However, there are a couple of things that you should be hearing on a regular basis.
Students should be practicing items we play in class and lessons in an effort to make their
performance in class and lessons acceptable. When your child practices, you should hear:
What you should hear:
• A METRONOME BEEPING – Students should be using a metronome 95% of the time when
they practice. This helps them keep a steady tempo. As they mature, they will use the
metronome less and less. However, they will never outgrow the need for a metronome as even
professional musicians use metronomes in their practice sessions.
• Clapping and Counting – The combination of rhythmic counting and clapping to the beat is
key to overall success. Counting out rhythms (often similar to sounding out words when learning
to read) and then combining rhythms with self-generated tempo will help with the coordination
of motor skills and conceptual learning.
• Note-naming – Students should be reading lines from the music and saying the note names
out loud. This should also be done with a metronome, and eventually, while fingering or
positioning the notes being said.
• Fundamental Sounds – Students should be working on their sound on just the mouthpiece,
mouthpiece and barrel or headjoint. This sound might be a little annoying, but it is essential in
their development of proper embouchure and tone quality. They should work for a steady sound
that doesn’t waver at all.
• Long Tones – The first sounds students make on their fully assembled instrument should be
long and smooth sounds. Their tone quality is one of the most important aspects of learning
their instrument during the beginning year.
What you shouldn’t hear
• Clowning Around – Sometimes students get curious about their instrument and try new
things. Although we want them to look ahead and read new music, they should never make
obviously poor sounds on their instrument. Brass players should not be trying to play really high
sounds, or really, really fast music.
• All Music – Students should enjoy practicing and should want to play songs as much as
possible. However, at this point in their musical lives, they should also understand the
importance of fundamentals. So you should not hear just songs when they practice. They should
be doing many fundamental exercises along with note-naming and rhythm counting.
• Silence – Students should not just do rhythm counting or note-naming for their practice time.
Sometimes students try to say they have been practicing these items for all of their practice time.
This should not be the case. They should play their instrument for at least 2/3 of their practice
sessions.
How can you help?
We have a few parents who have played musical instruments, but most parents don’t feel
comfortable helping band students with practicing. This is understandable. If you are a person
who has been in a band program, please feel free to help your child practice. Try to make sure
you are helping the students practice the correct way that we teach them. All parents
can help our students practice by doing any or all of the following:
• Help Their Environment – Make sure they are practicing in a comfortable place as
described. If this means you need to find something for baby brother or sister to do, this might
be helpful. Sometimes they can be a distraction. Again, a music stand is a very important part of
this. Whatever you do, please don’t send them outside or away to practice. Do what you can to
not make practicing negative.
• Consistent Times – Try to help your child have a regular practice time (preferably when you
are home to hear them practice). If they get in the habit of practicing at the same time every day,
this will aide in their practice routine.
• Encourage Performances – Set up a time every couple of days for your child to perform
music for you, or for your family and friends. Encourage them to show off the things they are
playing in class or in their private lessons. This will give them performance goals outside of
class.