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I Took My Instrument Home...Now What?!
Practicing at home is an important part of learning how to play your instrument. Band is a "co-curricular" subject that requires rehearsal time together as a full band but also individual practice at home to build skills, endurance, and tone quality.
Students need to practice on a regular basis to help them improve their playing skills. If the only time students play their instrument is in class, they will notice it is harder to keep up to the pace of instruction, and they may struggle or fall behind.
How do you practice? Beginner students should practice slow, long, held notes to build embouchure strength and muscle memory. By sitting with good posture and sitting on a chair and using a foldable wire music stand (recommended for home practice), this will help students reinforce proper playing habits and air support that will transfer to their playing in class. They should also work on any songs we are playing in class - practice holding the notes for the correct length of time, practice naming their notes out loud for memorization, practice fingers and slide positions to their song before playing. Students can always go on and learn new songs and notes on their own! Older students in Grade 7/8/9 should work on tricky parts in their songs at a slower tempo but focus on rhythmic accuracy. Playing through warm up sheets, scales, and songs in the band book helps students reinforce proper playing habits to transfer into their playing in class. Focusing on proper articulations and volume changes in their music and exercises helps them to be more aware of musical details to become better music readers.
Students that practice consistently demonstrate important skills like leadership, self confidence, and perseverance. By getting into a regular practice routine at home (and having parents/guardians that encourage practice), students will build these important life skills that will eventually transfer into their everyday lives (not just in the band room!).
Students need to practice on a regular basis to help them improve their playing skills. If the only time students play their instrument is in class, they will notice it is harder to keep up to the pace of instruction, and they may struggle or fall behind.
How do you practice? Beginner students should practice slow, long, held notes to build embouchure strength and muscle memory. By sitting with good posture and sitting on a chair and using a foldable wire music stand (recommended for home practice), this will help students reinforce proper playing habits and air support that will transfer to their playing in class. They should also work on any songs we are playing in class - practice holding the notes for the correct length of time, practice naming their notes out loud for memorization, practice fingers and slide positions to their song before playing. Students can always go on and learn new songs and notes on their own! Older students in Grade 7/8/9 should work on tricky parts in their songs at a slower tempo but focus on rhythmic accuracy. Playing through warm up sheets, scales, and songs in the band book helps students reinforce proper playing habits to transfer into their playing in class. Focusing on proper articulations and volume changes in their music and exercises helps them to be more aware of musical details to become better music readers.
Students that practice consistently demonstrate important skills like leadership, self confidence, and perseverance. By getting into a regular practice routine at home (and having parents/guardians that encourage practice), students will build these important life skills that will eventually transfer into their everyday lives (not just in the band room!).