Supporting Students
How can we help?
Get more out of music
- Be Organised Make sure you're ready for your lesson every week with your instrument, music and notebook
- Practice The only way to get better is to play your instrument regularly at home. Make sure you know from your teacher exactly what to practice each week
- Join a Group Playing an instrument is a great way to meet new people, make new friends and develop new skills. So join your school band or find out more about our county groups and the wide range of musical opportunities in your area
- Be Inspired Read what our Feature Musicians have to say about music, including their top tips and varied careers paths
Practice Tips
The only way to become a good musician is to play regularly. But by following a few simple tips you can get more out of your practice time and reach your goals more quickly.
Plan: set a regular time so that practice becomes part of your daily routine. Think through what you have to do before you start to play and set yourself some targets.
Read: your teacher will write down targets, advice and comments each week, so take time to look at your practice book.
- Think: Good practice involves your mind, your body, your emotions, and the music. Your parent or teacher may be able to make you spend time playing the notes, but only YOU can focus your mind.
Manage your time: Start with a warm-up. Break your pieces up into small sections and work on the challenging parts before you play all the way through. Don't just play something once – repeat it even when you've got it right. Leave time to review things you've already learned and enjoy playing.
- Be Patient: You might not see an improvement in every practice. It's normal for progress to seem a bit of a roller coaster of ups and downs at times. But regular practice always gets you closer to your next breakthrough.