Practice Tips
*Set aside a block of time each day and schedule it as your practice session. If you approach practice with the mindset that it’s something you must do, you won’t let other activities interfere – practice is an obligation for your musical improvement. If you practice at the same time each day, you will be able to measure your steady improvement. This really works!
*Have a definite set of goals to accomplish during the practice session. Know what you want to do rather than mess around and play notes aimlessly.
*Warm-up carefully on the instrument, using long tones and slow scales, you must get the muscles of your mouth warmed up to play. Using crescendo/diminuendo on the long tones will assist greatly in tone and pitch development.
*Practice intelligently. If a part is difficult, one must practice the part very slowly, one note at a time if necessary. Increase the tempo as you get the notes under your fingers. Use a metronome to keep a steady beat throughout working different tempos.
*Sit forward and up on the chair when playing to provide for proper playing and instrument position. Remember, posture will help you not only sound better, but it’s an important part of the visual aspect of a performing musician. If possible, stand when you practice every other day or so.
*The most important concept to focus on as you play is producing Good Tone Quality!
