As Spring Break hits, it’s so tempting to put everything on hold and just lounge by the pool with some lemonade, passing a few lazy days before getting back to school or work. If you’re studying music however, it is really important not to slack off when it comes to your practice routine. Taking just a week off can seriously slow your progress or even move you backwards from reaching your goals. How do you keep up your discipline to practice when your brain is in vacation mode? Try these five tips to make the most of your break!
Traveling? There’s an app for that. If you’re going out of town and it’s not practical to bring your instrument with you, keep your music theory skills sharp by practicing with a mobile app. Educator’s Technology has put together a great list of 12 apps that can help you practice sight-reading and ear training as well as apps that simulate instruments from an 88-key piano to a glockenspiel.
Get inspired! Take advantage of your free time to make a playlist of music you’d like to learn. See if you can find a movie or documentary about one of your favorite performers or composers or about the history of your instrument. Focusing on what inspires you to play will help keep your instrument exciting and energize you to practice.
Practice outside the box. Is the warm weather and sunshine calling your name? Find a place where you can go outside to practice. Whether you find yourself strumming a ukulele on the beach, bowing your violin in the forest or just singing in your backyard, a little fresh air can revitalize you and rev up your practice.
Be creative! Spring Break is the perfect time to shake up your practice routine. Channel the revitalizing energy that comes with Springtime and find new ways to practice your instrument. If you’ve fallen into a rut, try playing familiar pieces and exercises backwards. Play around with tempo or rearrange a piece you are learning to write a new piece of your own.
All aboard the Friend-ship! Make practice more fun by playing with a friend. If you have a friend who is learning the same instrument, you both might find you have a lot to teach each other. If your friend plays a different instrument, jamming together can help you brush up on your theory skills and learn more about how your instrument interacts with others. Additionally, practicing with a friend can keep you accountable for continuing to practice on your own time.
What are your plans for keeping up your practice routine over Spring Break? Let us know in the comments!
–Megan L. TakeLessons Staff Member and Blogger
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Photo by Uhhhlaine
Megan L.