The new year is coming, and that means resolutions. Maybe yours is to learn a new instrument, or to get serious about one you already play. In either case, musical resolutions, like so many others often fail or are discarded by February. So how can you make sure that this year you stick to your plan? Over the next few days, I’m going to present some ideas of what has worked for me. Obviously every person is different, and I’d love to hear from you in the comments about what has worked (or not) for you in the past. Hopefully, my thoughts can be of some help.
I know something about committing to a practice routine. I currently maintain several of them. Every day, I set aside time to play piano, guitar, and bass for 30 minutes each, and to do 15 minutes of ear training. I also try to play ukulele at least 3 times a week, and to compose something (even if it’s not any good) every week. Obviously, this is my job, and so I can afford to devote nearly 2 hours a day to practice, but the amount of time I devote to each instrument is not all that great, which brings me to my first tip:
How often you practice is MUCH more important than how long you practice. Practicing every day (even for 10 to 15 minutes) is exponentially more effective than spending your entire Saturday afternoon. So, come up with a daily routine that keeps you accountable to at least pick up your instrument at least 5 days a week. Because much of the learning comes from repeated exposure to concepts or materials, playing a little every day will make a big difference, and like sleep, it is very hard to make up the time you missed on a different day.
It is true that practicing for 3 hours will accomplish more than practicing for 30 minutes, but not by as much as you think. And spacing those same 3 hours of weekly work across 6 days, instead of cramming, will make a much bigger difference than you may realize. It also makes it much easier to begin to build a habit. Set aside time each day at a particular time of day (early morning, after school/work, before bed, etc). And experiment with what times you prefer to play, as these will be the ones in which you will make the most progress.
If you don’t think you can find 30 minutes a day, try 10. Really. You’ll be amazed how much progress you’ll make, and once you’ve established the habit you may realize you have more time than you thought, and you can begin to extend your practice time. The important thing is just sitting down (or standing up) and playing your instrument. I want to challenge each of you (whether you’re my students or not) to make regular practice time your resolution in 2020.
Happy music making!