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The Basics:
- Learn the rhythms
- Always keep a steady beat (use a metronome)
- Count rhythms aloud while tapping your foot.
- Clap the rhythm while counting
- Mark the down beats
- Write in counting (1 2 3 4)
- Identify & Name the Notes (Pitches)
- Sing with Note Names
- Silently 'play' with Fingerings/Positions
- Combine singing and fingerings
- Play it
on your instrument
- Do not stop! If you make a mistake, recover quickly. Don't interrupt the pulse or repeat what you missed.
- Check your posture and remove any tension in your muscles.
- Make music.
- Add emotion to everything you play. Don't just play notes and rhythms.
- Notice the little nuances in dynamics, articulation and tempo.
- Perform it for someone
Tips:
Set a goal
Know what you want to accomplish when you practice.
Make sure your goal is attainable in the time you have.
Give yourself a time limit (20-30 minutes is good).
Reward yourself when you complete the goal (play a song you like and know already). Simplify
Try using only one pitch (Concert Bb) to focus on rhythm.
Play the primary beats of faster moving sections, or just play the accented notes.
Find a pattern (scale, thirds, ostinato, repeated note sequence, etc.)
Break it down
Don't practice mistakes!
If you make a mistake, stop and figure out where it's happening.
Focus on that just that section for a bit until you get it right.
Sometimes you will need to go measure by measure, or sometimes even just a part of a measure to ensure that you have it exactly right.
Slow it down
Slow down the tempo and play the section in rhythm.
Play the section
correctly a few times before increasing the tempo a little.
Repeat that process until you gradually bring the section up to the real tempo.
Write it down
Keep missing a flat or sharp in the key signature? Write it above or in front of the note as a reminder.
Fingering mistakes? Write it in, or look for a possible alternate and write that in.
Sweat the details
Be careful to notice every marking.
Dynamics, articulations, tempos, style, phrasing all add up to a more effective performance.
Record and Listen
Record yourself and see if it sounds the way you are intending it to.
You can hear a lot when you are focused on listening to yourself.
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