Basic Tips:
#1 - Consistent practice time.
Life is hectic, I know. I can't speak for all, but I do best on a schedule. Every Monday I do this, Every Tuesday I do that... I thrive on routine, and then knowing how I can bend that routine. From what I've seen, most people enjoy having at least some predictability to their days. Having observed this, I can say that the students who succeed the fastest are the ones with the most consistent practice schedules.
I've had students practice before school. I've had students come home, get a snack, and practice before their siblings get home. I've had students practice while dinner is being cooked. Find a time that works for you (hopefully 6 days a week), and stick with it!
#2 - Positive Reinforcement.
Some call this bribes. I like to think of it as positive reinforcement. Everybody needs a little encouraging now and again, even the most "glass is half full" persons. People learn better, generally, when they are in a good mood, and when they are working toward an attainable goal. When you're just starting out, it's hard to see the goals, and sometimes they need to be provided. My goals for my students would be a good bow hold for longer than 5 minutes, or keeping your left thumb in the right spot. Those aren't fun goals, like being able to play a song. I have found that stickers are an excellent motivator. And actually, for my students at the house, being able to use the electric eraser, oddly enough, seems to be a good reward, too. When used sparingly, rewards are an excellent motivator. If given out too often, you'll run into the "what'll I get if I do it" attitude, and then we move on to less desirable insentives ("If you keep your wrist down, I won't poke you with a pencil..."). :-D
#3 - The dreaded 3x Rule.
Ah, one of my favorite techniques. This fantasitc rule is good for everything. Here's how it works (this is what I tell the students):
So, three seems like such a very small number, but it's about to become very big. Whatever it is you're working on, whether it be holding the bow, holding the instrument with no hands, or working on a difficult passage, your goal is to be able to do the task three times in a rowwithout making any mistakes. ANY mistakes. Pretend I'm watching. So, for holding the bow, you put the bow down, pick it up, and get everything just right. Repeat two more times. You can do the same with the instrument. For tough passages, you work on the passage slowly until you think you have it, then get it up to speed, then play it. Play it again, and play it one more time. Here's the aggrivating part: if you mess up on the last part of the third time, you must go back to number one. I already know the though, "I was pretty close. That's probably good enough" will flash through your mind, but just ignore that thought and go back to number one. It will be much less painful for you if you nag yourself than if I do it for you.
Life is hectic, I know. I can't speak for all, but I do best on a schedule. Every Monday I do this, Every Tuesday I do that... I thrive on routine, and then knowing how I can bend that routine. From what I've seen, most people enjoy having at least some predictability to their days. Having observed this, I can say that the students who succeed the fastest are the ones with the most consistent practice schedules.
I've had students practice before school. I've had students come home, get a snack, and practice before their siblings get home. I've had students practice while dinner is being cooked. Find a time that works for you (hopefully 6 days a week), and stick with it!
#2 - Positive Reinforcement.
Some call this bribes. I like to think of it as positive reinforcement. Everybody needs a little encouraging now and again, even the most "glass is half full" persons. People learn better, generally, when they are in a good mood, and when they are working toward an attainable goal. When you're just starting out, it's hard to see the goals, and sometimes they need to be provided. My goals for my students would be a good bow hold for longer than 5 minutes, or keeping your left thumb in the right spot. Those aren't fun goals, like being able to play a song. I have found that stickers are an excellent motivator. And actually, for my students at the house, being able to use the electric eraser, oddly enough, seems to be a good reward, too. When used sparingly, rewards are an excellent motivator. If given out too often, you'll run into the "what'll I get if I do it" attitude, and then we move on to less desirable insentives ("If you keep your wrist down, I won't poke you with a pencil..."). :-D
#3 - The dreaded 3x Rule.
Ah, one of my favorite techniques. This fantasitc rule is good for everything. Here's how it works (this is what I tell the students):
So, three seems like such a very small number, but it's about to become very big. Whatever it is you're working on, whether it be holding the bow, holding the instrument with no hands, or working on a difficult passage, your goal is to be able to do the task three times in a rowwithout making any mistakes. ANY mistakes. Pretend I'm watching. So, for holding the bow, you put the bow down, pick it up, and get everything just right. Repeat two more times. You can do the same with the instrument. For tough passages, you work on the passage slowly until you think you have it, then get it up to speed, then play it. Play it again, and play it one more time. Here's the aggrivating part: if you mess up on the last part of the third time, you must go back to number one. I already know the though, "I was pretty close. That's probably good enough" will flash through your mind, but just ignore that thought and go back to number one. It will be much less painful for you if you nag yourself than if I do it for you.
Advanced Tips
#1 - The Checklist.
1. Rhythm.
If you don't think rhythm is important, try playing all the notes of Twinkle Twinkle different lengths. I'm going to guess that people will give you strange looks. Make sure your notes are the right length. Don't rely on "how you remember the piece going when I played it for you" to tell you whether you are doing it correctly or not. I'll start playing it wrong if I find you doing that! Assume I'm wrong all the time, and double check my work! And please, don't ignore the rests.
2. Intonation.
"In-tune-ation". This is how in tune you are. Are your fingers playing the right notes? Are you sure? Are you sure you're sure? How do you know? I check my notes either by playing with the tuner on, or my checking it against an open string.
3. Dynamics, etc.
This includes, but is not limited to:
f, mf, mp, p, <, >, accents, staccato, legato, ritardandos, tempo changes, fermatas, trills, grace notes, breath marks, and so on.
4. Musicality.
This is harder to define. This asks the question of, are you merely playing what the music is telling you to play, or are you going deeper than that, and making the piece one of your own? Going back to Twinkle Twinkle, you can play that piece so it sounds like you are bored, or you can play it so that the audience is interested in what you are doing. The same goes for what you are working on now.
1. Rhythm.
If you don't think rhythm is important, try playing all the notes of Twinkle Twinkle different lengths. I'm going to guess that people will give you strange looks. Make sure your notes are the right length. Don't rely on "how you remember the piece going when I played it for you" to tell you whether you are doing it correctly or not. I'll start playing it wrong if I find you doing that! Assume I'm wrong all the time, and double check my work! And please, don't ignore the rests.
2. Intonation.
"In-tune-ation". This is how in tune you are. Are your fingers playing the right notes? Are you sure? Are you sure you're sure? How do you know? I check my notes either by playing with the tuner on, or my checking it against an open string.
3. Dynamics, etc.
This includes, but is not limited to:
f, mf, mp, p, <, >, accents, staccato, legato, ritardandos, tempo changes, fermatas, trills, grace notes, breath marks, and so on.
4. Musicality.
This is harder to define. This asks the question of, are you merely playing what the music is telling you to play, or are you going deeper than that, and making the piece one of your own? Going back to Twinkle Twinkle, you can play that piece so it sounds like you are bored, or you can play it so that the audience is interested in what you are doing. The same goes for what you are working on now.
