That new leaf

You know that new leaf I mentioned?

Well, here it is, come on and turn it over.

Shake last year's rain from it.

And look ahead into the New Year of 2010.

Imagine.....

YOU, practising every day.

No moaning, no grumbles, no excuses.

I know it's hard to believe.

365 days

But I know you can do it, starting in the morning.

Not too early! HAPPY NEW YEAR. Love, Hz

Check in

How did your practising go in 2009?

Come on, I heard how it went, so own up!

• Every day? I LOVE YOU!!!
• Three times a week? Well done, but can we double up?
• Only the night before your lesson? The stress is killing me.
• Once in a blue moon? Can you try doing 10 minutes a day?
• Never? Aghhhh!! Do we need to talk?

Better that's out of the way.

How about we try turning over a new leaf in 2010?

Day one is coming up!!

Go on - give that instrument a play. Hz

House bound

Winter weather has had us house-bound here.

So, the house has been full of music.

And sleeping!

It's like Christmas came earlier than we expected.

All sorts of pieces have been on the stand.

Old favourites ready to play to visitors.

Songs to sing along to even if we have all forgotten the words.

Lovely pieces drawn from gigs, exams and recitals.

Old pieces stumbled upon....remember this one?

Wishing you a music filled holiday!

Looking forward to hearing lots of great sounds in 2010. Hz

Don't let the holiday stop you

The holiday is nearly here!

So, remember the Summer holiday?

When you left your instrument alone and unplayed.

When the dust accumulated.

When you forgot most of what you had learnt.

This holiday, you could try doing it differently.

By trying to continue your daily practising?

It doesn't have to be a chore.

You might look forward to an hour away from the tv.

You might even enjoy it.

Let me know if you give it a try. Hz

Playful

It's good to warm up before tackling full on work.

Fingers have a chance to limber up.

Your brain has time to switch into the right mode.

Why not try some free playing where anything goes?

Free improvisation.

Some people call it doodling.

Imagine you are drawing with notes instead of a pen.

Long notes, bits of scales or patterns.

Highs and lows, playful calls and rumbles.

Just forget about trying and PLAY!!

Remember to put the cat out if you really want to let rip! Hz

Get into the groove

This might sound like a radical idea to some people, but -

How about practising every day for a week?

Making sure you do good work.

Missing no days for any reason.

Think how much work you will achieve.

While you are at it, how about you keep going?

For a month.

Or a year

Or even forever.

Making it a part of every day builds great momentum.

It is also what musicians do. Hz

Imaginary red pen

Playing your piece in the right order every time?

Warts and all?

I know you know the painful truth.

But I will say it again.

That's not practising.

It will not solve the problems you hit every time.

It will not help you move forward.

So, how about you circle your bad bits with an imaginary red pen?

These bits need you first.

Cover up the rest of the piece if it helps.

Bet you'll hear a difference in a few days. Hz

Sit back and listen

Practising done for today?

Good work.

How about you finish your day doing what I love most?

Simply sit back and listen to some music.

Switch the radio on to a music station.

Maybe you could choose one you don't normally listen to?

Pick a disc at random from the shelf.

Or maybe the library shelf?

Switch your iPod to shuffle and press play.

You might be pleasantly surprised.

Guess what I'm about to do? Hz

Laughs

"My Mum put my music out in the recycling box."

What a great excuse for not practising last week!

I was laughing so much I nearly fell off the wall.

Easy to tidy up music with the old newspapers.

But how come the only piece to be taken to the shredder was that tricky one?

Guess your teacher might want you to buy another copy.

But in the meantime - you have no distractions from making your other pieces sound great.

Go for the most beautiful sound you can make.

And keep your music books away from the rubbish bin.

Remember, YOUR worst excuse can feature here. Send it to me as a comment and the best (or worst) will feature in a new post. Hz

No stopping - for any reason

I know that you know.

You keep leaving a gap in that piece.

It's where you stop and have a think.

Where you can't find the next notes in time.

Sometimes, you grind to a halt right there and leave the room.

Take heart - try only the pesky group of notes as slowly as you can.

Check the fingering or placing on your instrument first.

Move smoothly between each note.

Replace the rhythm, still playing slowly.

Speed up a little each time.

Bravo - finish your session by playing a favourite piece. Hz

Sounds like

Curious about what you sound like?

You could record a piece you play well.

One of these will do -

a mobile phone, a computer, a video recorder,

an old Dictaphone or tape recorder.

Find someone to press the buttons for you.

Do a trial run first, then go for it.

Listen back with a sense of generosity.

Write the date on the recording and put it away.

Listen back in a year's time and see how you've progressed.

You might be surprised. And it might be fun. Hz

Double up

Tell me, how many days did you do your practising last week?

And the previous week?

As the days get shorter (here in the Northern Hemisphere)

it's hard to move away from the fireside after dinner.

Believe me, I know.

I could be hibernating by now, or migrating to blue southern skies.

How about you try to double up your practising time this week?

No matter how few or how many minutes or hours you did.

Double up your good work.

Try extra hard to resume your good routine.

2 x 0 = 0

If you truly did zero last week, how about 10 minutes every day? Hz

Bad notes day

It happens to us all once in a while, even to the best players.

The dreaded and dreadful BAD NOTES DAY.

This is the day when your instrument seems to wince in protest.

When you can't play more than three right notes in bar one.

When your fingers have forgotten all they knew.

When your is dog desperate to escape out of the back door.

Before you give your instrument away, try this -

Slow down and try play just one small thing correctly.

One scale, one exercise, one short piece.

Make one thing as beautiful as you can.

Remember - it's ok to make a racket once in a while,

just not every day! Hz

Polishing

I know it's only November, but the countdown has begun.

Lots of people are already planning for the end of year.

Rehearsals for festivities, celebrations and shows might have begun.

Far away relatives and Great Aunts might be coming to visit.

So, how about preparing a unique gift?

You could prepare some pieces to play, maybe with a friend?

Maybe for a gathering or event?

Choose a piece you enjoy playing.

Polish it into a thing of great beauty.

And you know what? They'll just love it.

Go on. Look through your music and find that lovely piece you've forgotten about. Hz

362 times?

362 times might be enough for one day!

I know, your teacher said to keep trying that bad bit.

Well, your Mother is being driven insane by your endless repetitions.

The dog is hiding under that prickly shrub in the garden.

And after hearing you, I'm saying - THAT'S ENOUGH FOR NOW!

With a bad bit

try to play it so that it improves each time

and then discover how it fits with the rest of the piece.

Don't ever be satisfied with messy or mindless work.

Aim to do it well.

Remember - good practising can save you lots of time. Hz

More than a lot of note bashing

Did you know that while you are learning to play an instrument you are also building up useful qualities that affect the rest of your life? Such as -

• patience
• confidence
• self-esteem
• improving your work
• setting achievable aims
• persistence
• satisfaction at seeing a job well done
• learning to work well alone
• communication
• and it's something you can still enjoy when you are old like me!

Lots of reasons to get that instrument out tonight, then. Hz

Sounds I like

Tapping away on the computer keyboard.

Crickets chirruping in the twilight meadow.

A log fire crackling into light.

The window cleaner's tuneless whistling.

The zing of a Jaw's Harp.

Rain - when I am snug indoors.

The purr of a happy cat.

Someone sawing wood.

Next door's Harley, revving up.

Waves crashing in.

Best of all after a day's work - peace and quiet!

What are you favourite sounds? Hz

Refreshed

It's good to have a break sometimes.

Maybe a couple of days away from your instrument.

Tie it in with that trip to the mountains if you like.

Or maybe when you have family to stay.

Think of it - a weekend doing something completely different.

You'll come back to your music refreshed.

So, after you return, aim to resume good habits from day one.

Little and often. Every day is best.

Remember to blitz and blast those bad bits.

Convince me they were never ever terrible.

Want to run it past me now? Hz

Doing it well

Ready to try something new in your practising this week?

How about you do your work as well as you possibly can each time?

Every scale.

Every exercise.

Every part of every piece?

Paying attention to making the most beautiful sound you can make.

See, a lot of the time, we make do with the minimum.

We think of other things while we work and then rush out the door at the end.

Sounds like someone released from jail.

With a bit of extra effort, we can transform our work.

Guess what? You'll feel so much better about it. Hz

Those bad bits need you

Life gets busy sometimes.

I know you have work, school, college, kids, laundry, sleep, chores etc. to fit into your life.

So, how can you use your practising time better?

All together now - WORK ON WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

Easier said than done.

See, I know you always like playing your pieces in the right order.

And then you think it's done.

Even when that piece goes badly wrong in the same place each time.

Why don't you just work on the bad bits each day and then stop?

It will take far less time.

How about you try it and let me know if it works or not? Hz

So far?

A month and a half of lessons.

Has it been FUN?

Have you noticed a difference?

Has your teacher noticed a difference?

Can you check in to see if you are happier with your playing?

Is there a new piece you can play since resuming in September?

Do you still need to try to do some work every day?

Do you need to focus in on the hard bits more?

We've got the ball rolling again.

It would be a shame to lose some ground over the holiday.

I ask loads of questions, I know. You could send me one, too, remember. Hz

First

Some people do their practising in the morning.

Before school, work or college.

What a great way to start your day!

If everyone in your house is up and about, it might work for you.

Think about it - instead of practising when you are tired out

you will have done some good work, fresh as a daisy.

If this doesn't appeal, how about doing it as soon as you get home?

Instead of it being last on your list of things to do.

Instead of leaving it until you're too tired to care.

Instead of deciding not to bother today.

Find a good time to do your work. And the begin! Hz

Not just the night before

There were lots of tears here the other day.

Small person couldn't play any of their homework.

They got in such a state they could hardly play anything at all.

And ended up hurling the little violin onto the sofa.

Took a while to find out that - brace yourself -

They leave all their practising until the night before their lesson.

And spend the next day dreading that lesson.

The lesson is meant to be the highlight of your week.

Practise little and often, every day is best.

Hope you are getting to do the same.

Look forward to the time you spend with your instrument.

It's meant to be fun, not an ordeal! Hz

Pick a line

Want to check if that piece is ready to play to your teacher?

Try this game called Pick a line.

Level 1 - Pick a line from your piece.

See if you can play it at the correct speed with no mistakes.

If you make a mistake, you get one more chance - start the line again.

Don't carry on and play the rest of the piece.

Note which lines need more careful work.

Leave out the easy lines and do what you need to do instead.

When you've worked on the tricky lines, try on another day.

Level 2 - play again but this time link up several lines, say 4, 2, 7.

Same rules.

Level 3 - play the whole piece beautifully in the right order.

If you make a mistake GAME OVER.

Try again tomorrow.

It might be tricky at first, but remember to have FUN! Hz

That playlist

Got a piece ready?

Great!

Now we need to keep it on the boil.

Remember to try it a couple of times a week, straight through.

Listen carefully to make sure you are making a good sound.

You might want to start a list in your notebook.

You might want to keep a playlist pile you can find easily.

But more important than that - find an opportunity to play it.

This could be to your teacher, a friend, someone in your family.

Start small and see how it goes.

Bet they love it. Hz

Playlist

How about another small aim?

Once you have finished a piece you like, how about adding it to a playlist?

What this means is that over time, you will develop a repertoire.

This is a good thing for all sorts of reasons, like.....

You could play to Aunt Bertha when she comes round for tea.

You could perform at the charity fundraiser.

You will have audition pieces ready to play for the band/orchestra/show.

You can have a jam with friends. (More about jamming in another post.)

So, choose a finished piece or 2 that you really like.

At the END of your practising session, have a play of it aiming for no blips.

This is what we are really aiming for. It's so good to play it all in the right order, but only when you can DO it. Hz

Recognize it?

See if you can recognize this.

I know, it's tough, but see how you go.

La la lalala laa de de de de dum

La la lalala laa hum a zummmmm

La la laa *!^£)$:"?! aghhhhhh ?(±|>±

La la lalala great big 4 bars of total silence

La la lalala laa hum hum hum hum ZUMMMMM

Yes - it was your unique version of that gorgeous piece your teacher gave you.

Homework this week - work on ONLY lines 3 and 4 until you can play them without mistakes.

THEN, try placing them back where they belong and have a run through.

Hey! It's not nice to swat at wildlife.

Blitz and blast

When we are learning something new, we are bound to make mistakes.

To improve, we have to try again, then try again some more.

There is no magic wand to wave.

It comes from the daily practising that you are aiming to do.

So, it's good to remember that we are LEARNING.

We learn from our mistakes - yes, even those horrors in line 3 of your piece.

Take those weird notes and try them alone.

Blitz them. Blast them. Learn them off by heart if that grabs you.

Make the bad bits as good as the good bits.

Make it like we could never tell which was which.

Come on! Let those notes beat you no more. Hz

Listening in

I've heard some interesting music this week.

Can you hear how things are starting to progress?

A couple of weeks back in your routine and it's improving.

Makes everyone happy.

How it's meant to be.

So, how about spending a little more time on your scales?

And that little exercise your teacher asked you to do?

All these things will help you improve your sound.

Even just a few more minutes on them each day.

Bet you soon start hearing the difference. 

Go on. Happy practising. Hz

Dear Hz...

The first of many, I hope - here's the first question sent into the "Dear Hz" slot by M.

Dear Hz. You would be so proud of my 14 year old son. He practises tenor sax at least 40 minutes every evening. The power of music has definitely taken over. Unfortunately, it is SO LOUD that I have to go outside and sit in the garden shed wrapped in a blanket with the dog and a wind-up radio. I know, I could put my son in the shed, but it's a bit rickety and I fear the noise would probably shake it to pieces. What do you suggest? Hopefully, M

Dear M,

It's great to hear your son's practising is going so well.

Well done to him!

Some instruments are louder than others.

Tenor sax can be one of the loudest.

Over time, your son will learn how to refine his sound and explore dynamics.

Things get pretty loud here sometimes.

That's when I go out for a spin.

How about you agree on an an hour when your son can let rip

while you go and take the dog for a walk?

Let me know how it goes. Hz

7 days a week

We all know that the idea is to do some practising each day.

That's 7 lovely times each week!

Instead of watching that clock tick round closer to your finish time

what we are aiming at is for -

THE POWER OF MUSIC TO TAKE OVER

and for you to start looking forward to these times.

Think of it - no more moaning!

Wouldn't that be wonderful! 

It could happen to you.

You might find yourself working beyond your recommended minutes or hours.

Come on - start today! Hz

What musicians do

How come you got into music?

How come you have an instrument in front of you?

For most people it was the experience of hearing a musical performance.

Radio, TV, Cd's, an old record collection, films ?

Buskers in the street, a concert, gig, music in a ceremony or celebration?

Walking past a house and hearing someone playing?

It sounded so wonderful you wanted to try.

Well, after trying, you've discovered that there's no secret, no magic wand that can be waved.

So this is just a reminder of what musicians do.

Musicians spend time practising.

You can do that too! Hz

Right now!

Well, of course your teacher's not happy!

Think of their day.

Listening to all the students who did nothing all Summer.

AND all those terrible excuses!

Must be the worst week of the year for them.

Your new routine looks like fun.

When are you going to start?

What do you mean tomorrow!

What's wrong with today?

Or even right now?

Go on! Run it past me. Hz

Little and often

Good to hear you trying that piece again.

It's sounding better, isn't it?

It's growing on me now that I recognize it.

Of course your back aches - look at that strange posture!

Fingers, too? Go gently first.

Little and often. 

Does that instrument need tuning, fixing, a spare part?

Your friendly music shop awaits.

And what about your other piece?

See, I found your crumpled up "To do" list when I was behind the piano!

Love, Hz

Haunting

I know. You have an odd feeling in your stomach aka accumulating guilt.

After 2 months without lifting a finger, it's a bit late to be creating instant wonders.

But you could do something instead of nothing, prepare a bit for that lesson.

You could have a practise session now. 

Yes, right now!

And you could have another later this evening.

Take a chance on it. 

Double up for the next few days.

All over the land, I hear the haunting sound of lonely instruments crying.

They are longing to be played.

Listening out for you. Hz

Ten

Ten things to do this weekend.

TEN!! 

Ten is such a great number.

I know, I'm SO pushy.

1. Go to your instrument.
   
2. Close the door.
3. Warm up with a few minutes of free play.
4. Try a few smooth scales or patterns.
5. Try part of the piece you were given - maybe 2 or 3 lines.
6. Slow it down and try it again.
7. Notice where your bad bits are. YES, those bits that you keep missing out, that sound like note graffiti, the bits that make the cat's hair stand on end. You know the bits.
8. Stop getting grumpy.
9. Try them even slower, maybe 5 times each.
10. STOP playing the piece in the right order every time.
    

I'm going to shout that one again -

STOP PLAYING THE PIECE IN THE RIGHT ORDER EVERY TIME.

WHY? 

Because that is called playing. 

It's not going to solve the nightmare in bar 18.

It might also drive your family/housemate/pets to leave home.

Trust me.

Hey! We've begun.

See you tomorrow? Hz

Try it

Pleased you came back.

I hate it when we fall out.

How about we open that case?

Check if that instrument still works?

I know it might sound terrible.

Run it past me.

I promise not to fly out of the room.

Try it.

After 3, take it away!

Hmmm.......interesting.

Should we try it again soon? Hz

Are you avoiding me?

Good dusting.

Pity you went away again so soon.

Thought you might have opened up that case while you were at it.

Saw there's a lesson booked on the calendar.

Been practising in secret?

Got that piece ready for your teacher?

Who are you calling a nosey old beetle?

When you slam that door, all the piano strings hum.

It's the best music I've heard since June.

Might be better than what I heard in June.

See you before the weekend? Hz

Dust

Been quiet round here lately.

Been quiet for weeks.

Noticed they turned the calendar today.

I like the new picture, especially seen from up close.

1st September.

The new term looms!

Is that a layer of dust I see on your instrument case?

There's a duster in the under-the-sink cupboard.

Go on.

I dare you.

Missing you, Hz