4 Ways to find Time for Practice in your Busy Schedule

In this fast paced world, time management has become the most important skill to have. You may be a working adult or a student learning in school - however, you still have a number of chores to complete every day. By the end of the day, you are completely exhausted and can't assemble any enthusiasm or energy to practice your instrument. So how do you still follow your interest in music in between these exhausting tasks you have in a day? In this blog, we discuss some of the ways you can find time to practice:

1. Start the day with music:

What can be a better way to start your day! Remember the era of walk-mans and Disc-mans? You woke up to songs and somehow you already felt good about the day to unfold. Do the same with your instrument! Think of it like your daily workout. Practice the exercises and drills given to you and by the end of each practice session you will feel like you already have accomplished something in the day and this positiveness will reflect in your attitude throughout your day. With regular practice, you will see progress in your playing really quickly.

2. Stress Reliever:

Having a tiring day? With all the stress, deadlines and burden of expectations you carry at work or school, life is stressful. There is no better stress reliever to this than music. Listen to songs because that also plays an important role in your development. Then just take your instrument and start playing with it, and you will see you get in the mood of practicing it. Take the help of that and start practicing your exercises and if you know a song, end the session with that. You will feel much better about your day and ready for a good night's sleep.

3. Show dedication:

If you are serious about your music, you will find a way to give time to your instrument. May it be an early morning, afternoon or a late night practice, you can always dedicate a certain period of the day to your instrument and make sure you are committed to that. Once you keep doing it, it becomes a habit and practicing your instrument will come very naturally to you. For students, you can use those study breaks to play your instrument which will relax your mindset and as you have heard a lot about how music can enhance your academic performance, it’s time to practice that saying. 

4. Not more than 2 Classes a Week:

It is almost impossible and not advisable to take classes every day. Classes are meant to be a lesson day and you should learn something new every class, however you also must have seen how your mentor starts the class with exercises you have previously taught and then move to the new topics. However you can approach your practice session like the way classes are structured. Go for lessons TWICE a WEEK and then use the days between those lessons to master the exercise giving the same time as your lesson classes. Also you can use the class timings as your practice time of the day. This way you are attending class everyday but in a much more effective manner.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

4 Reasons Why Practice is Crucial To Your Growth As A Musician

No one is never born genius, one has to work for it and it is the result of that work that they become really good at what they do. That particular work/performance from musicians is the practice they do on their instrument. It is the most fundamental yet the most important thing a musician needs to do to supplement their growth at every step. Although it is given that practice will make you better, let us understand why it is so crucial for musicians.

1. Muscle memory

Playing an instrument is all about ‘instinct’ coming into play. When you play your instrument what will you do naturally? You have to make the complicated techniques your second nature so that you can execute it flawlessly on your instrument. The only way to do that is to practice regularly so that your muscles build a memory by being exposed to the same exercise so many times that it becomes natural for you. However, you do have to make sure that you are doing the drills correctly and efficiently so that your muscle develops the correct technique.

2. Explore Ideas

The more you sit with your instrument, the better will be your understanding about it. As you attempt to play like your idols and apply all the necessary theory in your instrument, you will discover new ways of using your techniques to sound unique. You will find your own style of using certain techniques and how to apply them in your playing. A good practice session will allow you to explore a fresh take on certain exercises and also open up new ideas in your playing which, is an important aspect for every musician.

3. Feedback System

You won't know what you are doing wrong until you play. The best way to rate your playing is to record yourself, play back and then self-analyse what you are doing wrong and what you can do better. You can focus your practice sessions toward the elements that you think requires work. The lesser your playing weaknesses, better is your musicianship. It is crucial to give/take feedback as it minimises any loose ends in your playing and is an important factor to grow as a musician.

4. Realistic Goals

As you sit down for practice, you will have an idea of your progress and where you stand in terms of capability in certain skills. Practice lets you set realistic goals which will encourage more commitment and intent whenever you practice. There should be a purpose in every practice session and a result oriented goals to be able to develop new skills and improve existing basics on every step.

If there is one thing common among all the successful musician, it is the relentless dedication to their trade and instrument through numerous hours of practice which should be the template for every budding musician. Give time to your instrument and practice with commitment and you will surely get results and be the musician you always dreamed of.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.

5 Reasons Why Practice is Important

A famous quote on practice says “Don’t Practice till you get it Right, Practice till you can’t get it wrong”. It is on this premise that we try to address some of the ways that practice is absolutely essential in making you a better musician and performer.

1. Get Better : One of the most important reason that you should practise is to get better than what your capabilities are at present. Music is such a subject where you have to regularly or very often give time to your instrument so that you acquire the skills you want to achieve. Plan out your routine, and fit in your practice time when it is most comfortable for you. Even 15-30 minutes of regular practice can give improve your skills tremendously than sitting for a single long session just once a week. As most of the skills rely on the muscle memory, all the respective muscles has to be exposed to repetitive exercises until it becomes natural to you.

2. To Have Fun : You can have more fun when you can play things in your instrument and learn to play more complex rhythms or melodies, you need skills which you can only achieve through practice. However, have realistic goals and gradually try to achieve the complexities of music. It takes time but it is worth it in the end. When you can execute complex skills and play some really fun melodies or rhythm, you will start enjoying your instrument much more.

3. Increase Your Knowledge : As you gradually upgrade your skills, you also get more educated about your instrument and begin exploring different styles/genres of music. If you keep committing to your instrument and gradually improve, you will discover a lot of different techniques and learn how to use them in different style of music. Instruments can learned the best when you apply your theory/concepts to practical use. To be able to execute different techniques to your instrument, you must be capable of doing them and there is only one way to be able to achieve that which is ‘practise’.

4. To identify mistakes and improve your skills : One of the most effective ways of practising is to record your practice session. Play it back and identify the parts in which you can do better. Self-evaluation is a vital part of the process. You have to be honest and rectify any mistakes you have been making and/or improve any part that you feel can be better. The more you play your instrument, you will be able to identify more parts that you can improve on and when you set out to make them better, you will see an improvement in how your instrument is sounding.

5. To master your instrument : Everyone who has mastered their instrument has gone through rigorous practice. To be able to get command over your instrument, practice is the only thing that can get you there. Although, you should practice effectively and concentrate on building more skills, it only takes time and your commitment to be able to master the skills in your instrument.

BlueTimbre is a unique Music Company that provides Music Education and  Recording Studio services. BlueTimbre also works with schools to provide end-to-end Music Education solutions for schools. 

The BlueTimbre team comes with decades of cumulative experience in running Structured Businesses, Music Curriculum Development, Music Education and Performance.