Little notebook

Some people are great at remembering things.

They know exactly what their teacher asked them to work on.

Others are useless at remembering things.

They use it as an excuse to work on nothing all week.

Which kind of person are you?

Hmmmm. I thought so.

Why not buy a little notebook?

Ask your teacher to write your homework in it each week.

Read it before you start each practise session.

And try to do everything on the list.

Remember to take it to each lesson.

Let me know if it works for you. 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

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

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

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

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