No matter how much you like your instrument, persevering to practice is sometimes quite difficult. It’s easy to procrastinate and forget you wanted to play. This is probably very recognizable for many musicians. We have 6 tips to help you practice better.
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Practice a little every day
To become good at an instrument, it is important to practice consistently. Ten minutes every day works better than once a week for an hour. When you start practicing every day, the threshold becomes smaller and smaller. This way, practicing with your instrument comes into your routine, just like brushing your teeth.
Plan when you want to practice
Choose a fixed time when you practice every day. Think in advance how long you want to practice and set a timer. For example, practice every morning after breakfast or in the evening before going to sleep. It doesn’t matter when you practice, so choose a time that suits you.
Choose the right number for your instrument
Do you play songs you don’t know or don’t like? This may make practicing less fun for you. Choose a song you like and practice it.
Perform for your family
Ask your family to listen while you play. This makes playing more fun. You’ll probably get applause afterwards too. Organizing a mini-concert every now and then is also fun. Ask all your family to come over and play for them. This is not only good practice for playing in front of an audience, you also practice for this ‘concert’ to prepare yourself. Of course, your family also enjoys hearing you play, so three birds with one stone.
As little distraction as possible
Getting notifications from your phone while playing is quite distracting. Turn off your phone notifications or put your phone away completely when you practice your instrument. Putting away tablets, computers and other distractions also helps you concentrate on practicing. If you don’t live alone, your roommates or family may sometimes also be a distraction. Tell the people you live with that you practice so that they do not disturb you while you practice.
Motivate yourself
Everyone gets motivation from different things, so think about what motivates you to play your instrument. For example, promise yourself a small reward after playing. What is also motivating for some is watching other people play the same instrument. For example, watch YouTube videos of talented people who play the same instrument as you.
Have a lot of fun
Of course, you play your instrument for the pleasure you get from it. Don’t force yourself to play because that won’t make it any more fun. Try playing with other people to make it more fun and compliment yourself once in a while.
