Practice Makes Perfect: Making Music Practice More Enjoyable
March 14, 2019
Many parents struggle to get their child to regularly practice their musical instrument. Nattagan Pettong, piano teacher and educator, provides some tips for parents.By Nattagan PettongMusic is just like any other subject. It has to be repeated and reviewed or children will forget what they have learned. But many parents struggle to get their child to sit at the piano or another instrument and practice. Why is that? Why is practicing so hard for children? It may be because no one is paying attention to them when they practice. Or perhaps they just don’t know where to start or what to do. So here are some strategies you can try at home that are guaranteed to make a difference. 1. Stay with them
Parental involvement is essential. Many parents will just tell their child to practice but never actually stay with them to watch and listen. All children really want is their parents to be around. Parents can encourage and guide their child so they know what to play or practice. The child may be more enthusiastic about practicing if their parents pay attention to what they are doing.2. Set a goal for the practice session
Setting a goal will make everything easier. Not only will it make the practice session seem shorter, but it will also help children to concentrate and focus because they know when they are finished.Here, we are not talking about the duration of the session; music practice is more to do with detail. For example, perhaps there is one part they play wrong every time. Even though they practice over and over, they still can’t get it right. If this is the case, then help them adjust the way they practice: make that problem spot the focus of that particular session. Let them play just that part, slowly and calmly until they get it right and the music flows. Another trick is to ask your child, at the end of the session, to play the whole piece from the beginning one more time. In doing so, they will review all they have learned one last time and get an overall picture of the piece.3. Be their student
Playing or practicing an instrument might not be particularly fun. So mix things up and switch roles! Let your child be the teacher and you or your partner be the student. If your child is learning the piano, for example, let them teach you the music. Try to play the piece they’re learning or the piece they’ve already learned. Whatever you do, don’t play it right! Even if you can, pretend you can’t. You will see, your child will try to correct you and to teach you how it’s supposed to be played. I always recommend this strategy to parents because it makes practicing fun while at the same time getting their child to review the piece without them even knowing it. It is also an activity that strengthens the relationship between the parent and their child.4. Be aware of distractions
When children are given a task that isn’t fun, they quickly get bored and shift their attention to something more interesting—unlike us adults, who complete the task whether we like it or not. First of all, therefore, try to make your child feel comfortable. Do not say “practice”. Use the word “play” instead.Before they play, get rid of possible distractions. Make sure the TV is turned off. Pack all toys, particularly new toys, away. It is already difficult enough to make children practice, so make sure you have their surroundings under control, even if only for 5 or 10 minutes.5. Little by little
Is your child starting to feel frustrated? It’s all right. Let them take a break. Young children cannot concentrate for long periods of time. If there is a part that is very hard and you don’t think they will learn to play it well in one session, pause the session and let them do something else to clear their mind. Practicing is not only about duration; it’s also about frequency. Try to get them to play the part they are struggling with a little bit every day and you will see an improvement. Photo by Andrik Langfield on Unsplash.About the Author
Nattagan is a piano teacher and educator at ROUND NOTE Music. She writes about learning music for ROUND NOTE Music and is an instructor for Music Little Seed, a group class designed for young children. For more information, go to www.roundnote.net. You can also contact Nattagan by email at nattaganpe@gmail.com.The views expressed in the articles in this magazine are not necessarily those of BAMBI committee members and we assume no responsibility for them or their effects.BAMBI News welcomes volunteer contributors to our magazine. Please contact editor@bambiweb.org.