Practice Tip: Repetition

One of the ingredients in getting really good at anything is repetition.  When a student says to me, “Why am I not getting this?”  I usually find out that they just haven’t tried it enough, or they are trying it too fast  (see Practice Tip: Go Slow).

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Richard Hawthorne
Practice Tip: FOCUS

Do you ever feel that you have so much to practice you don't even know where to start?  I do!! Trying to practice a little bit of everything is not only overwhelming, but also not very productive.  Here's what I do. 

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Richard Hawthorne
How Much Should I Practice?? (Tip)

"If I haven't practiced, should I still come to my class (or lesson)?"  You better!!  If you attend my classes long enough you will figure out that I like to listen to you play more than I like lecturing.  Class time is a great time for practice and learning.

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Richard Hawthorne
Practice Tip: Go Slow

When one of my students is having difficulty playing a phrase or switching between a pair of chords, I often find out that they are practicing it too fast (or, not practicing it enough – more on this later).

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Richard Hawthorne
Practice Tip: Think Small

When you keep it small, you will neglect practicing other things.  However, as a result you will master a specific thing rather than just being familiar with everything, but not able to perform it.

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Richard Hawthorne
Practice Tip: Listening

This blog could be a note to myself.  I want to listen better to music!  I often see students playing guitar using  hand/eye coordination.  The problem with this is that they can become too preoccupied with the mechanics of playing and less focused on the actual sound of the music they are playing. 

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Richard Hawthorne