When in a flurry of business how do you handle your practice time? Are you the type who runs through your solos hoping that it will keep you in shape and not lose ground?
Hopefully you have watched some of my videos on a fast-but-thorough-warm-up. We always need to warm-up before practicing no matter how limited our practice time. But what do you do on your solo?
Running through solos when you are short on time is more of a panic move than a helpful situation. When you are not ready to play that solo, going through large portions can actually do more harm than good. It can cause you to make unusual mistakes that are now part of your playing. You then must take time on another day to correct these mistakes.
If you’ve watched some of my FluteTips videos, you will see that I have videos on using short periods of time to get a solid practice. Videos such as using 30 minutes to practice everything in your solo, and to practice your etudes while doing your tone, technique, etude and your solo practice. It can be an all-in-one.
What Do You Practice?
That is kind of what I’m talking about today. But I want to zero in on when you have very limited time for your solo, then what do you practice?
My college students are very busy, just as we all are. College students think they own the “really busy” schedule. They have no idea what busy really looks like. But, when they’re going from class to class plus have extra rehearsals because they are in the pit orchestra for the musical at the college, and they are preparing for recitals, preparing for concerts, preparing for other people’s recitals that they’re playing in, etc. – practice time becomes a real problem.
So, what should you practice in your solo if you only have 15-minutes? You need to zero in on where the problems are in your piece. For example, if I were to practice the Cantabile et Presto by Enesco, and I have very limited time, I would take some 16th note passage that I know my fingers do not get easily and perhaps that is all I would do in my 15 minutes. It will be all the practice I can get in. I am not even going to worry about tone. I am not going to worry about anything other than what can I do with these 8 to 10 measures in 15 minutes. This will make me move forward and allow me to learn, but also give me the freedom to not worry about all the things I cannot do.
Using this limited time in this way is much better than taking the day off and then picking back up where you left off two days ago. It keeps the piece in your mind, and in your fingers, and may even help you work through a tricky spot.
Don’t let the fear of not getting anything accomplished to make you not get anything accomplished!
So, when you only have a tiny bit of time, do not let yourself think that you cannot get anything done. You can actually get something done. Find a spot that needs work in your solo. Even if it is only two measures, work on that for those 15, even 10 minutes. You will be so happy that you did because you will make progress. You will have practiced a little, your head will feel good because you actually practiced rather than skipping practice.
So, let’s use our time wisely because we know it’s fleeting. We get busier and busier as time goes by. And it’s very hard to get that practice time in, but if we use it wisely, we can progress.
Have fun!
DoctorFlute
Watch me demonstrate this idea:
Using Your Practice Time Wisely – FluteTips 156
How to Warm Up in 15 Minutes – FluteTips 152
What to Do in a 30-Minute Practice Session – FluteTips 119
