October Update!

October is my favorite month of the year and Fall is my favorite season!  That being said, in Mission Viejo where I live, the temperatures have just now dropped to the 80s!  It still feels like summer here!  The new air conditioning system I installed in the teaching studio has gotten quite the workout but the consensus from myself and all my students is that it feels great!

This month I wanted to talk about practicing.  As all my students know, my teaching style is more of a mentor/coach than the stereotypical "Russian piano teacher."  Many of my students either don't have enough time to practice or they simply don't prioritize practicing enough.  I never come down hard on them for not practicing but rather try to find solutions to fit practicing into their busy schedules.  Here is my philosophy regarding practicing.

As a full-time educator and performer, I have more time (and a greater need) to practice than the majority of my students.  Couple this fact with the fact that drumming has never come easy for me and you can see why I spend so much time with sticks in hand!  That being said, most of my students aren't taking lessons with the goal of becoming professional drummers.  They are taking lessons for the fun of it.  They must balance drumming with all the other requirements life expects of them.  Schoolwork, extracurricular activities, family obligations and the list goes on.

Because drumming is such a physical instrument, the development of proper muscle memory is crucial.  I tell my students I would rather have them practice for shorter spans multiple times per week rather than one or two larger "cram" sessions.  The reinforcing aspect of practicing the movements repetitively over the course of a week will produce far greater results than a once a week jam session.

I also do quite a bit of mental practicing.  During down time or before falling asleep at night, I envision myself at the drums working on material I need improvement on.  While listening to a song, I sometimes will try and envision the transcription of a beat in my head or try to put odd phrases against a simple 4/4 tune.  There are many ways to improve our drumming skills without the need to have sticks in hand a set of drums to play on.

I think the key to it all is like so many other things in life... BALANCE.  Each of us must find how to fit our practicing into our schedules without too much disruption to our lives AND make sure we are maximizing our practice time.  How do maximize our practice time?  Here are twelve tips from legendary jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis that have helped me!

1. Seek instruction

2. Make a schedule

3. Set and track your goals

4. Concentrate while practicing

5. Relax and practice slowly

6. Practice what you can’t play

7. Always play with maximum expression

8. Don’t be too hard on yourself

9. Don’t be a showoff

10. Think for yourself

11. Be optimistic

12. Look for connections between music and other things


Hope you all have a great Fall!