How to find time to practice your instrument

Do you ever feel like time is flying by way faster than you’d like? Our schedules can get so hectic that we can barely find time to practice or touch our musical instruments. We’ve compiled a couple of useful tips to help you slip some instrument practice time into your daily routine.

Schedule your practice sessions

Take a look at your current schedule and find any time that you’re willing to sacrifice to work on your craft. You could also consider using a planner or journal to visualize your daily activities. Physically noting down your agenda gives you a better idea of when you actually have time to set aside for music. Plus, it’s super satisfying! 

If carrying a planner around isn’t your thing, don’t worry, we’ve got you! The Metronome by Soundbrenner app recently launched the “Practice Reminders” function, which makes it super easy to set notifications for practice sessions! Bonus: if you own a Soundbrenner Core 2, you can get these notifications on your device too!

Set goals

Knowing what you want to achieve with each practice session helps you to achieve both short and long-term learning goals! Figure out what your priorities are and list them out as goals to set every time you practice. They could be something as simple as practicing your internal metronome for keeping in time, or learning part of a new song for a gig. 

It’s also good to set different goals for each practice session to avoid boring yourself with repetition. Remember to keep these goals realistic and achievable (Don’t try to perfect all of Mozart’s compositions in under an hour!)

P.S. You can also do this on the Metronome by Soundbrenner app 🤯

Maintain some structure

Now that you know what you want to achieve with each session, you need to decide how long you want to spend on it. When scheduling your practice sessions, take note of exactly how much time you want to spend on it. Setting exact durations for your practices improves productivity by ensuring you’re not practicing for too long or too short. 

If you’ve decided to practice for 5 minutes, be sure to remove any unnecessary distractions. If you’re going to practice for an hour or longer, don’t forget to take breaks in between so you don’t tire yourself out. Working too hard can decrease your efficiency levels!

Track your progress

Make every second of your practice count. Figure out how effective your practice sessions really are by tracking your practice progress. Note down details like your objectives for each session, how well you’ve progressed, and any difficulties you faced- even the smallest details could be useful to note down!

You can try using a planner, making notes on your phone, or even recording yourself to look back at later on! Being able to see how much you’ve achieved after the practicing is both motivating and satisfying.

And you guessed it... you can also do this with the Metronome by Soundbrenner app!

Practice without your instrument

Playing the instrument of your choice isn’t the only way to work on mastering your craft. A study found that practicing in your mind allows you to prepare your brain to take action. You’re not always going to be able to have access to your instrument at all times, so it’s good to know a couple of things you can do to practice on the go. Some things you can do include; reading note sheets, brushing up on music theory while commuting, or visualizing your movements by practicing in your mind.

Don't forget to reward yourself after

Nothing’s better than a little reward after completing any task. Once you’ve finished practicing, make sure to pat yourself on the back. You’ve just managed to squeeze somehow to find time to practice the instrument into your busy schedule- and that’s a feat to celebrate!

Don’t want to practice alone, but all your friends are busy? The Soundbrenner Core 2 is the perfect practicing companion for you. Acting as a vibrating metronome, Contact Tuner, Decibel (dB) Meter, and Smartwatch, the Core 2 will have you covered for all your practice sessions!