Checklists, Gadgets, Trackers, and Practice Partners
Piano practice requires a piano (most of the time!) but that’s about it.
Fancy notebooks, practice logs, checklists, timesheets, or stacks of pennies (more on that later!) are not required. However, there are a few helpful things to have on hand:
Pencil
Quiet space
The music you’re working on
Metronome
I suggest a glass of water and a short stretch before you begin.
Sometimes learning a new skill or section of a piece requires some mindful repetition. Often students like to check off how many times they’ve repeated something. I find that tends to keep them focused on the number of repetitions rather than how the repetition improves their playing. To shift the focus away from how many times they play something, I like to suggest to younger students that they use a small toy or stuffed animal (small Japanese erasers are great for this!) to track progress on each repetition. Place the object to the left of the music rack, and each time a section is repeated, move the object one step closer to the right. Ask them to evaluate how improved the music sounds-if there is a little improvement, move the object just a little. As they repeat, they may feel that they are improving more and more, and can move the object farther and by larger distances each time. When we connect our ears and our minds to the sounds we’re making and then evaluate, we stay focused, and steady progress follows.
Have you done “penny” practice? With a particularly gnarly measure or two you can challenge yourself to make the repetition into a game. Stack three pennies on the left side of the music rack. Play the measure in slow motion, striving for accuracy. If successful, move one penny to the right. Play again, still in slow motion. If successful, move another penny to the right, but if not played as you would like the section to feel and sound, move a penny back to the left. Continue until all three pennies are on the right. Next steps might be to increase the tempo or add new measures.
What about keeping track of days practiced? Is a log or checklist helpful? As I ask students to practice most days, I generally do not ask students to keep a record. However, sometimes students (and parents) enjoy doing this. There are lots of practice charts and trackers out there. Consider asking your students to design their own and share it with the studio. Or just draw a quick set of boxes on their assignment page to check off if they wish. When students feel discouraged about their progress in a practice session, keeping a journal is helpful. Encourage students to write down what seems difficult, and list the practice strategies they’ve tried.
One type of record-keeping I do request is checking in with a practice partner.
With elementary students (especially beginners) the practice partner is almost always a parent or caregiver. I ask them to check in together at least three times between lessons. This can take the form of the student explaining a new skill that was learned in the lesson, showing the practice partner the new assignment for the week, or performing a piece in progress. I ask the practice partner to sign the assignment sheet each time they check in. For older students, practice partners can expand to include older siblings, grandparents, school music teachers, friends, and others. At this point signing the assignment sheet isn’t mandatory, but jotting down a short note about the check-in works in its place. I’ve had students keep their school music teachers or church choir directors posted on pieces they’re working on, and have had high school students text each other during the week to support each other and report on practice. Music is a shared experience in real time, and it’s so important to learn that practice can be shared as well.
What do you use to help you practice? Do you have a practice partner?
Please share your experiences in the comments below.
Have you practiced yet today?