Practice Tips and Tricks

Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, consistent practice is the key to musical growth. But how you practice is just as important as how often you practice. If you’re a player looking to improve and make the most of your practice sessions, take a look at our hints and tips.

Set Clear Goals

Before diving in, decide on what you want to achieve. It could be perfecting a tricky passage, improving your articulation or mastering a new piece. Having a clear objective gives focus and direction to your session.

Break larger goals into smaller, manageable milestones. This makes progress easier to track and prevents feeling overwhelmed or disappointed.

Start Slow and Build Up

It’s tempting to jump straight into fast tempos, especially for exciting pieces, but slowing down allows you to perfect notes, rhythms and dynamics. Gradually increasing speed helps develop accuracy and precision.

Use a metronome to keep you on track - start slow and increase the tempo in increments of 5-10 BPM once you’re more comfortable.

Isolate the Tough Parts

Don’t just play the entire piece over and over. Identify the sections where you tend to stumble and focus on those. Spending extra time on the difficult parts will improve your overall performance much faster.

After practising the tricky part, re-integrate it into the piece to maintain flow. A talented and inspiring musician from within the Telford Concert Band says: *“Don’t just practise until you get it right, practise until you don’t get it wrong.” *

Use a Variety of Techniques

Switching up methods can prevent monotony. Try playing passages with different articulations (e.g. legato, staccato), changing dynamics, or experimenting with phrasing. This not only keeps practice interesting but also enhances musicality.

Practise difficult sections backwards. Start from the last bar of a tricky section and work your way to the beginning. This helps solidify the ending and improves overall confidence.

Record Yourself

Recording yourself is one of the best ways to hear where you need improvement. Often, things you may not notice while playing (intonation, dynamics, rhythm) become clear when you listen back.

After listening to your recording, take notes on areas to work on and incorporate those into your next session.

Stay Relaxed

Tension in the body, especially in your shoulders, neck, or hands, can hinder your playing and even lead to injury. Take time to check your posture and breathing. Stay mindful of how your body feels as you play and take regular breaks to stretch.

You can even try deep breathing exercises before practice to release tension and focus yourself.

Practise Sight-Reading Regularly

The element most people try and avoid! Being a strong sight-reader improves your ability to learn new pieces more quickly. Dedicate a few minutes of each session to sight-reading a new piece of music – it helps sharpen your focus and reading skills.

Set aside pieces that are slightly easier than your current level for sight-reading, this boosts confidence while developing fluency.

Join Groups or Rehearsals

Playing with others, whether in a small group or large ensemble like the Telford Concert Band, enhances your timing, tuning and listening skills. It also adds the element of collaboration, which is crucial in ensemble performance.

When rehearsing at home, play along with recordings or backing tracks to simulate the feel of group rehearsals.

Consistency Over Time

You don’t need to practise for hours every day to see improvement. Shorter, more focused sessions are often more effective. Try practising for 20-30 minutes a day, concentrating on different areas. Make a weekly plan where you allocate time for warm-ups, technique and piece work, so every element gets attention.

By incorporating these tips into your routine, you'll notice a steady improvement in your playing. Remember, it's about quality, not just quantity. With the right mindset and techniques, your sessions will be more productive, and you'll enjoy the process of becoming a better musician!

Happy practising from the Telford Concert Band!

Contact us to find out more about booking the band or joining