Practicing
New This Year!! Practice Records!!! The required amount of practicing is 240 minutes every TWO weeks. This is the same for Polson, so I know you are capable of practicing this much. Below is a link so you may print off a copy of your practice record if you lose/misplace/destroy your practice record. Your first practice record is due Monday September 24th. Don't forget to get a parents/guardians signature.
Print my Practice Record!
In a perfect world we would all have at least a half hour to an hour to practice every day. However, welcome to the world as we know it. Therefore, I stress the importance of practicing on a daily basis in order to retain the skills you already have and are working on building. If you are having difficulty learning your part, please come see me for help. I am available afterschool on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. If you have a study hall and would like to come practice in one of the practice rooms, please let me know and I can write an email to your study hall teacher.
Practicing Do's and Don'ts
The continuous homework assignment for orchestra is to practice for at least 20 minutes a day. The hard part to this assignment is know how to practice. Here are some do's and don’ts that may help in your daily practicing.
• Don’t play through the whole piece numerous times. By using this “method” to practice, your brain and fingers are not absorbing any new information.
• Do select small selections from each piece that is challenging. The small section should only be around four measures. Then practice that small section a couple of times until you feel that you have mastered it.
• Don’t practice the pieces at top speed. Usually when people practice pieces quickly, they learn the selection incorrect.
• Do practice at a regular speed or a slow speed. If you are really struggling then slow the tempo down even more!! Slowing the tempo down will help your brain and fingers catch up to where you want to be in your playing.
• Don’t struggle and struggle without asking for help.
• Do come to class with questions . If you have trouble remembering what your questions are then practice with a notebook next to your music and write down your questions. I would be more then happy to answer your questions and help you learn a new concept and/or technique.
• Hint: If you are having trouble playing in certain keys (i.e. playing in E flat where you are playing with low ones and fours), play the corresponding scale to help teach your fingers where to go. If you need to, write yourself notes in the music, with pencil , to remind you of the different fingerings.