Making the most of your music lessons
Music lessons give you the opportunity to not just make music, but to learn new skills or knowledge about music, reinforce your current understanding, and clear up any confusion you may have. Because a lesson is often over in the blink of an eye, and usually covers a wide range of elements, it’s important to be super prepared for one. In this post I share a few tips on how to prepare for your music lesson to enable you to make the most out of the precious and limited time you have with your tutor.
In the lead up to the lesson:
Practise (obviously): work on what the teacher asked you to. Practise the technical work and pieces required so that your teacher can teach you something new.
Write any questions down: as you practise and some uncertainty comes up about anything - a note, a fingering, a musical symbol - make a note of it in your practice diary.
Pack your lesson bag: nothing worse than turning up to your lesson without your music! So the day before, pack your things. Music books, practice diary, pencil, sharpener, eraser, manuscript paper. Have everything ready.
During the lesson:
Put all distractions away: don’t waste your lesson time by being distracted. Phone off/on silent. You may even want to spend a few minutes in the car taking some deep breaths before going in to your lesson to feel more centered and to calm the mind.
Clear up confusion from your week’s practice: if you had any questions from the previous week, now is the time to ask them to gain clarity.
Ask questions and clarify anything you’re not sure of: if you do not understand something, always clarify with your teacher. We love questions!
Treat your lesson as a performance: your teacher is your audience. Play them your best music. Always play your best in front of your teacher. This way, they will be able to make your best even better.
Listen and gratefully receive feedback: music lessons require a certain level of humility. You need to be able to accept constructive criticism, to acknowledge your mistakes and shortcomings. Listen to the feedback from your teacher and take it on board.
After the lesson:
Revisit the notes/homework your teacher has written down and make any additional notes as required: perhaps there is a certain phrase your teacher said about hand shape or position that you would like to remember, or a particular fingering you need to use in a piece that you should really write down.
Develop your weekly practice plan: based on the homework you have, construct a plan for your practice in order to achieve your goals.
If you follow these simple tips, your lessons will become productive, focused, and progress-guaranteed! Who doesn’t want that?!
Eliza
