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It’s hard to start anything from scratch, especially something as seemingly complicated as learning to play an instrument. This blog post comes from our New York City guitar and singing teacher Jessica D. Here she explains how, with just 10 minutes of practice a day, new music students can find themselves well on their way to mastering their chosen instrument.
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Are you putting off taking a music or vocal lesson because you feel that you just don’t have the time for all the inevitable practicing that’s sure to be involved in order to become a pro? Relax. In addition to the many benefits of music lessons, practicing even as little as five to ten minutes a day can make a huge improvement.
We’ve all heard the expressions “baby steps” or “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” That’s what we’re dealing with here. As a beginner musician, try not to think about the long term result 30 years from now. Instead, think about the end result of one lesson from now. That will take you to one week and eventually, one month — and hopefully even farther!
When learning a new instrument, half the battle is becoming comfortable with it — picking it up, looking it over, touching the instrument, exploring its details and elements. Whether my students are beginners or experienced musicians, I advise them to pick up their instrument every single day for at least 10 minutes. Can they pick it up for 15, 20, or 60 minutes? Of course they can, and I encourage it. But in order for one minute to turn into 30, the instrument has to find a way into their hands. It is too easy to let time fly by when you are busy with other tasks. But it is just as easy to find 10 minutes in the morning while you’re drinking a cup of coffee to pick up your guitar, or while you’re in the shower to do vocal exercises. If you’re watching a TV show at home, you can pick up your ukulele and just let your fingers get used to holding it and knowing where the strings and frets are. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself muting or better yet, even shutting the TV off to give the instrument your undivided attention.
The idea of practicing for 30 or 60 minutes might seem daunting at first, especially when you are a beginner. But 10 minutes is all it takes to get you started on the road to 10 hours, 10 days, 10 weeks or even 10 years – the possibilities are endless!
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You might also like…
– 5 Excuses for Not Practicing – And How to Overcome Them
– How to REALLY Maximize Your Practice Time
– Avoid the Musical Plateau and “Trick” Yourself Into Practicing Longer
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