Practice, Practice, Practice!
How do you play like that? I wish I could sing like that! How do you remember all those lyrics? You guys sound so tight!
Practice. It’s boring and probably not the answer you’d like to hear, but it’s the truth. If you want people to be impressed and emotionally connected to what you’re playing you have to be good. And the only way to get really good is to practice.
“But I don’t wanna practice!”, you cry. Actually the answer is yes. Yes, you do.
You chose to be a musician because you love playing music, right? So go ahead. Play some music!
Often practice can seem like a chore because there is no purpose behind it. You have no actionable goals to propel you forward. So the first thing you may want to do is give yourself a list of goals you want to accomplish.
Get to Work on Your List!
Do you have a list of songs you want to learn? Does it seem daunting to have to try to learn them all? Write all the songs down and then assess them all. What is the easiest seeming song on that list? Learn that song first. Maybe it’ll be because you’re the most familiar with it. Or maybe it’ll be because it only has two chords. Or maybe your just learning the solo lick from the intro. Whatever the case is, it’ll help if you work on that song first because it’ll give you a sense of accomplishment and also help you gain momentum.
Once you’ve aced that song move on to the next easiest. Work on that. Continue this method until you’ve learned all 678 songs on your list. What? Your list is shorter? You might need to add some songs to your list!
If it’s just one song you’re working on listen to it a few times in a row. Break it down into sections. Map out the parts you might be playing. Intro? Verse? Chorus? Bridge? Outro? Oh look, you’re learning the whole song! Look at you Rockstar!
Doing it and doing it and doing it again!
Consistency is the key to your success. If you can carve out 15 minutes a day to rehearse, that is better than if you only rehearse once a week for 90 minutes. Make the music a part of your daily routine. I know it can be hard if you have roommates or neighbors that might not want to hear you practice every day. Create opportunities for yourself that help you accomplish this goal.
Are you a singer? Find places where you can sing. I find the car is my spot to do this. I usually sing to and from my way to work. At least for a little bit. Don’t have a car? Don’t feel like singing on a bus or subway? The age old trick is to sing in the shower! You take showers don’t you? Or if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere near wide open spaces you can go and sing in a pasture, or on a trail, or on the beach. If you can’t do that you can create a space in your closet where you can sing at the top of your lungs into a bunch of old jackets. Get creative!
Plug in Your Strings and Keys!
Guitarists and bassists are kind of lucky because they can play their electric instruments without amplifying them by using headphones. Just be careful you don’t destroy your ears by playing too loud! I play my electric guitar often with no headphones or amps. It actually helps me learn to play better tones and I feel more connected with my instrument.
Keyboard players also are lucky in that they can use headphones or even play at a low level just enough that they can hear. If you’re somewhere there isn’t a piano or keyboard you can still practice on a table top. See the chords and shapes in your head. Even doing this for a few minutes a day will strengthen your knowledge of the keyboard.
I Just Wanna Bang On The Drums All Day!
Drummers might have it hardest to find a consistent practice routine. Obviously the best case scenario is having your drums set up somewhere that allows you to just walk in and play them. But we all can’t be so lucky as to set them up in your Moms basement! So you need to find a space that’s near your home that will allow you to play whenever you want. Shared rehearsal spaces might be a great option. Anywhere you can have the drums set up and ready to play would be great! Another great option is electronic kits or practice pad kits. When all else fails play the steering wheel of your car! (You know you do anyways!)
If You Can See It You Can Be It!!
Another great practice technique is visualization. Just listening to a song and envisioning yourself playing it is good practice. Visualize yourself performing with the music. See your fingers as they play the chords. See how your body moves as you sing. What are your feet doing as you play? How are you dressed? Is the crowd reacting to your performance? Do you look comfortable? Confident? Even if you can’t have a real practice with your instrument you can still have a quality rehearsal in your mind. Believe me it helps!
Make music a part of your day. Everyday! There are so many ways to do this. Do you workout on a regular basis? (You should!) Leave your Headphones or earbuds with your workout gear to help remind you to listen to the music you’re learning. Leave the TV remote with your guitar so that you’ll remind yourself to practice guitar for a bit before you turn on the TV. Little tricks like this can help to remind you to keep your music in the forefront.
As the old joke asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”
Now you know the answer. Practice, practice, practice!
Do you have any tips or tricks for becoming a better musician? We’d love to ear from you. Let us know what you do to keep your practice routine on track!
