5 Ways To Practice Like A Pro
As a musician who is always trying to better their self, I am always looking for new ways to better my time while practicing. I have often wondered how my inspirations practice their instruments, because they are always seeming to get better at their craft. If you want to be a proficient player than this article is for you and if you want to be the musician who practices a few times a week than this will also benefit you.
# 1 JOURNALING
Journal your progress and keep tabs on what you are practicing. With journaling you can look back and see what you have accomplished and write out your goals for your future. When journaling be sure to write out how long you have practiced and what you worked on. Here is an example, if you’re practicing paradiddles for thirty minutes than be sure to mark that in your journal entry.
#2 LESS DISTRACTIONS
In our modern age of technology it feels near impossible at times to not have any distractions. With our phones next to us a majority of the time it is definitely hard for most people to not fall for scrolling through social media. However, if you want to succeed in your practice time you need to put away your phone. The best way to do so is to put your phone on airplane mode and buy a physical metronome. I know that downloading one to your phone is free, but if you’re the type of person who doesn’t have the self-discipline to stay off social media during your practice than buying a metronome will suit you best.
#3 RECORDING YOURSELF
One of the ways a professional musician uses their practice time is recording themselves. They might be recording a video for social media or recording demos for music they’re working on. Recording yourself helps you see your progress and hear yourself back and know what to work on. You don’t need a full studio to record yourself all you need is your phone. Make sure to record what you are working on and take time to examine your playing.
#4 KNOWING WHAT YOU WANT TO WORK ON
Messing around the drums is fun and has its uses, but if you’re a person who has plenty of responsibilities and still wants to get better at their instrument than having a predetermined practice routine will benefit you. Journal out three tasks you want to focus on for each practice session for the next week and write them down. Knowing what you want to work on will help you use your time to the most efficient manner possible.
#5 METRONOME
This one goes without saying; practice to a metronome. All of our favorite players have great time keeping skills and using a metronome will allow you to learn to do the same. The only way to get better at keeping time is playing to a click. Metronomes are beneficial in many ways. One key aspect is that you will learn how to keep the band in sync. Drummers are the backbone of every musical group and having a keen sense of time is crucial.
