The Practice Log, Part Two

What'd you practice yesterday? What, exactly, and for how long? How about last Thursday? What did you work on then, and how did it go?

If you don't have total recall on practice room matters, rest assured that you are not alone. Most all of my students give a generic answer when I ask them how long and on what did they practice. Their eyes glaze over from the effort.

Help comes in the form of the practice log. Yes, there's probably an app for it, but I prefer the old fashioned pencil and paper method: you write the date, and for each element you practice during that session, you also write details such as the metronome speed.

And you keep that practice log in plain view where you can see it each and every session.

By doing the above, you set little markers in place that you can look back on in order to measure your progress -- or lack thereof.

Think about it: you could be stuck on the C# melodic minor scale at 40 bpm for eons and wonder why you aren't getting any better at playing it. Unless you take notes and make a conscious effort to advance. The practice log changes everything.

And that's what a practice log really is: not an ugly reminder of practice room difficulties, of stuff you struggle to play. Nope - it's a chart of your success, of  you taking charge of your own forward momentum as a music student.

Consider it your secret weapon, especially when it comes time for auditions, year-end juries, scale tests, and so on. Along with your tuner and your metronome, the practice log is your best friend. Why?

You can't manage what you can't measure.

Key words: La Mesa saxophone teacher, woodwinds, music lessons, secrets to success, practice aids