Practice seems like it should be a simple concept, but why do so many of us feel like we don’t get the most out of it?

There are a number of variables that go into it that I think we can all relate to:

• Finding the time/space to practice
• Figuring out what to work on
• Restraining yourself from just noodling

I wanted to narrow in on one of those variables: time.

I’ve heard from a lot of students that they just don’t feel like they have enough time to practice anything and because of that they just don’t bother picking up their instrument at all. Another common excuse is that they are too tired by the time they get to practice.

So how do we address these things?

I’ve found that for a lot of us (yes I’m 100% including me because I’m guilty of these excuses as well) look at practice as a time for us to make REAL progress, and if we don’t progress in some real way then it’s “wasted” time. But the truth is a lot simpler to understand, yet harder to swallow:

It takes a long time to get better at anything, specifically playing an instrument.

If we keep in mind that the process is more a marathon than a sprint, then we can switch our perspective to focus on pacing. You wouldn’t train for a marathon by running 26 miles your first day of training, especially if you were not in shape! You’d build up your endurance over time through consistency.

The same can be said for practicing an instrument. A little bit each day goes a long way. I advise my students to carve out at least 15 minutes a day for at least 5 days a week to practice. I set this as a minimum because it’s practical but still holds you accountable to do it consistently. Can you practice longer? Of course! But you gotta hit the 15 minute mark before stopping for the day.

The beauty of this approach is that the length of your practice doesn’t dictate as much learning as how consistently you do it. Repetition is key over a long time. You will not advance your playing if you practice once a week for 3 hours and ignore it the rest of the time. The day to day practice, however small, is what sticks in your brain and body!

So try giving this a spin in your own practice routine, especially if you have a busy schedule already! Give it at least 2 weeks in a row and I’m confident you’ll see some solid progress in your playing.

Feel free to let me know how your progress goes too!

-Tonga