Lighter

Hey, have you noticed?

Yes, I'm happier this week!

There's more daylight.

It's lighter when you come home.

I can even see across the room at breakfast time!

So, how about doing some practising before you get tired?

Before the lights have to go on.

Before you snuggle up in front of the fire.

Before you decide to leave it until tomorrow.

Go on. Do some today.

And tomorrow, of course. I'm such a slave driver. Hz

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

When does the fun start?

Snow has made the town grind to a halt this week.

Everyone has been having fun sliding down hills.

We work hard to climb up the hill so we can have fun whizzing down.

Now, imagine dragging all your family and friends on a sledge UP a mountain.

Tough work and you might not make it.

Why would we choose to make things SO hard?

When we put off our practising for another day

we make it so much harder to get going again.

When we work little and often at something each day

we really do see things progressing and that's when the fun can start.

Brrrrrrr.......time for a spin. Keep warm. Hz

Just do it now

Why do you avoid it?

You always put off your practising.

You say you'll do it later.

After watching tv.

After chores.

Then it gets too late.

You say you'll double up tomorrow.

You say you'll do lots of work at the weekend instead.

And then tomorrow or at the weekend you say the same.

How about you stop making excuses and JUST DO IT NOW?

Little and often works best. Just do that. 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

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

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

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

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

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

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