Music practice
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neveragain*
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- Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:05 am
Music practice
How much music practice do you think is OK? My DS does about 35 minutes a day formal practice and "fiddles around" (!) in between quite a lot, but not necessarily on his main instrument. ( this is now sounding like a carry on film thread! Or maybe its since the Sunday glass of wine, it just seems so to me?!) He will often miss one day a week due to a club or just too much going on.
He doesn't practice on a Saturday as goes to orchestra from half nine til half twelve - theory and 2 music groups in that time.
He has his grade exam in 2 weeks so is upping the ante a bit - and since I told him about some of Malcolm Gladwell theories on success and also Mathew Syed ( is that right name) in Bounce, he has been keen to do more. He is just 11.
I know lots of DC in his orchestra do a lot more than that and a lot more formal managed practices too. I want him to enjoy his music but also have it as a form of discipline and pleasure too.
He doesn't moan about practising and enjoys it once he bets going. He can hear his progresssion and is proud of it. I try to buy interesting music for him to play between exams - lord of rings, hobbit etc and he does summer schools too. What do you music mums out there do with your DC?
He doesn't practice on a Saturday as goes to orchestra from half nine til half twelve - theory and 2 music groups in that time.
He has his grade exam in 2 weeks so is upping the ante a bit - and since I told him about some of Malcolm Gladwell theories on success and also Mathew Syed ( is that right name) in Bounce, he has been keen to do more. He is just 11.
I know lots of DC in his orchestra do a lot more than that and a lot more formal managed practices too. I want him to enjoy his music but also have it as a form of discipline and pleasure too.
He doesn't moan about practising and enjoys it once he bets going. He can hear his progresssion and is proud of it. I try to buy interesting music for him to play between exams - lord of rings, hobbit etc and he does summer schools too. What do you music mums out there do with your DC?
Re: Music practice
Hi, same here, DD is just eleven, does 30-35 min a day on the violin, about 15 min a day on the piano. Grade exam is in three weeks. Not doing any orchestra or music group this year, but will do since September at her new school. She never did any summer music schools or courses. she enjoys learning her two instruments but clearly is not going to be a professional musician.
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neveragain*
- Posts: 580
- Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2011 11:05 am
Re: Music practice
I suppose that it what I'm not sure about. How would I know that if I'm not encouraging/insisting on enough practice? He is def musical. What grade is DD taking?
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Waiting_For_Godot
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- Joined: Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:57 pm
Re: Music practice
What instrument is it neveragain? I think 35 mins is more than adequate if music is going to be a serious hobby rather than a career. It's also easier to practice for more time on the violin than it would be on some wind instruments.
Currently, my son spends up to an hour on the piano but I'm sure he could do it in half an hour if he focused and didn't decide to faff about or compose after every scale.
Bassoon will be 3x40 min sessions on a good day but sometimes is 1x30 min. There is usually one day a week, sometimes two, where he does not practice and I fundamentally believe it is important to have this break so the connections in the brain can be made. He doesn't practice on the day he has a lesson or if he's rehearsing for a couple of hours for a concert but he will practice on the days he goes to orchestra in the evening.
But it is all about practice. He went to music school in January with grade 5 and he'd been playing 3-4 times a week for 30 mins. He's now doing an average of 1-1.5 hours and is playing grade 8 pieces in less than two terms.
Currently, my son spends up to an hour on the piano but I'm sure he could do it in half an hour if he focused and didn't decide to faff about or compose after every scale.
Bassoon will be 3x40 min sessions on a good day but sometimes is 1x30 min. There is usually one day a week, sometimes two, where he does not practice and I fundamentally believe it is important to have this break so the connections in the brain can be made. He doesn't practice on the day he has a lesson or if he's rehearsing for a couple of hours for a concert but he will practice on the days he goes to orchestra in the evening. But it is all about practice. He went to music school in January with grade 5 and he'd been playing 3-4 times a week for 30 mins. He's now doing an average of 1-1.5 hours and is playing grade 8 pieces in less than two terms.
