Music – Instrumental
Instrumental Learning at the start of the year.
This is always an exciting time of the year – new instruments and great enthusiasm about playing them. They are always out and being played – sometimes even waking up the whole household!!
Then reality sets in and the boys realise that this has to happen everyday and sometimes they don’t feel like they are getting better so then they stop playing regularly. This is when you need to step in to encourage them, explaining that they should set little goals – “What are you working on at the moment?”, “What do you want to get better at?”, “What are you going to play for me at the end of this practice?” These are all good questions to ask.
Following is a practice guide of how to help your sons to practice. It is a guide so please adapt it to your life.
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String Instruments |
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Wind Instruments |
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Warm up – at least 5 minutes Long bows – 4 on each string making sure that it is the best sound, the bow is straight and the bow hold is correct Scales – putting fingers down on each string going up and going down – Left wrist away from the neck of the (violin and viola), elbow at the correct angle for cellos and basses. Making sure fingertips are being used. |
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Warm up – at least 5 minutes Buzzing on mouthpieces for brass instruments Long sustained notes Create a beautiful round sound that plays a note that doesn’t change (or wobble) Scales – playing as many notes as you know going up and down making a beautiful sound. |
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Improvisation (playing anything) – 2 minutes Before reading music, playing anything they like but with a good sound, varying rhythm. |
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Improvisation (playing anything) – 2 minutes Before reading music, playing anything they like but with a good sound, varying rhythm. |
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Pieces – about 10 minutes Practice the harder sections first. Play these sections at least 5 times correctly. Say rhythms first. Changing strings is a little tricky so practice these passages Play the harder section in context of the piece (not necessarily the whole piece) Depending on time it might be only one hard section done a practice. |
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Pieces – about 10 minutes Practice the harder sections first. Play these sections at least 5 times correctly. Say rhythms first. Changing pitch for brass players and keeping the same valves or slides can be tricky. Get to know how much air, what tension lips need to be to do this. Changing notes can be challenging for the woodwind players. Playing the note is easy, moving between the notes is tricky. Practice the harder changes within the pieces. |
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Performance Practice – 2 minutes Play through pieces that you know well and try and perform them |
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Performance Practice – 2 minutes Play through pieces that you know well and try and perform them |
Vanessa South – Music Teacher
