5 practice habits musicians should develop right now

Forming good practice habits is essential if you want to stick to your goals and improve your musicianship over time. It is easy to get distracted or lose motivation when you do not have effective habits that keep you grounded in your practice routine. Here are five habits every musician should consider incorporating into their practice.

1. Stay consistent with set practice times each week

Many of us practice whenever we have a spare moment during the day. However, that approach can be inconsistent and is not the best way to build strong practice habits. For optimal results, set aside an hour or two each day, or every other day, to focus solely on improving at your instrument.

If you have a busy schedule, such as being a student or working long hours, try to make time for at least half an hour each day. Even a shorter daily session can help you develop consistency.

2. Write your goals down

Many musicians have vague ideas about what they want to improve, such as being able to play more scales or play faster in general. However, it is hard to achieve those goals when they are not clearly defined.

A good habit is to write down specific goals you can work toward. This helps streamline your practice sessions and makes it easier to see what you should focus on.

• How many scales do you want to learn?
• Which scales are they exactly?
• How fast do you want to be able to play them?

These are the kinds of questions you should ask yourself as you decide on your practice routine. Write your goals down on your phone or with pen and paper so you can be regularly reminded of what you are supposed to be working on.

3. Record yourself playing

When we play music, we often get lost in the experience instead of focusing closely on our technique or on what our music might sound like to an audience. The music we play often sounds different to us than it does to listeners.

Because we already know what we are supposed to play, we might interpret our playing differently. We know what to expect, but an audience does not.

To listeners, our dynamics may not be noticeable enough, our tempo may be slightly too fast or too slow, or we may simply not sound as good as we thought. Recording yourself is a great way to solve this problem because it lets you revisit your playing and hear whether it actually sounded the way it did in your head.

Remember to record both audio and video so you can identify problems in your technique and correct them.

4. Reward yourself

All work and no play is not very fun, especially when it comes to music. Consider implementing a reward system where you give yourself positive reinforcement for achieving specific practice goals.

For example, you can allow yourself five to ten minutes of free playing, such as playing your favorite songs, for every 30 minutes of serious practice.

This helps you stay motivated while still working toward your musical goals. It is important to keep having fun even when you are practicing, because music should not feel like a chore.

5. Find a practice buddy

Music is an inherently social activity. Try finding a friend who plays the same instrument as you, and set practice goals for each other.

Besides creating a bit of friendly competition, a practice buddy helps keep both of you accountable and gives you someone to practice with.

These five practice habits are a great way to make sure you continue working toward your musical goals, staying motivated, and remaining consistent. Start incorporating them into your routine today and watch yourself improve.