When it comes to learning, especially on an instrument, I have long been a proponent of short practice sessions on a daily basis rather than one long one.
Let's take two student examples. Jimmy plays six days out of seven for 15 minutes per day. Johnny returns home from his lesson, puts his instrument in a corner and then waits all week to put an hour and a half in just before his next lesson.
They've both put the same amount of practice time in. However, Jimmy will come to his next lesson confident and prepared and with a greater understanding of what the lesson was all about. Johnny will play as if he's not practiced at all.
The constancy of daily practice goes a long way toward evolving your playing from point A to point B. Your brain has time to absorb, sort and calculate all of the minute activities that have to happen to make your performance consistent and available at a moment's notice (i.e., the day of the concert!!!).
Practicing only just in time for a lesson only exhausts you. (And your teacher.)
The bigger question really is: how much do you really enjoy playing? Think about it!
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Hi! Dave Payne here. When I was 25, I was working cruise ships, There wasn't much else to do during the so I would commonly practice 3-4 hours per day (I would takt a day off). I miss those days!
I feel like I would need more practice time, but I was taught (not that you weren't) using long calisthenic routines to develop my set.
I do feel you have hit the nail on the head, especially when it come to today's fast paced, multi tasking world---- consistency. I have finally started teaching trumpet again and I try to stress even if it's just 20 minutes, try to pick up the horn. As well as moving forward in development one also reinforces music as a daily routine. After a while, if you skip, you feel like something is missing! Thanx for the great blog & have a great day!
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