Music can be a very complicated but rewarding craft. In order to perfect an art, you must practice as much as possible. Even when practicing, there are inevitable mistakes you want to avoid as they will mess up your foundation for the future. Let’s take a look at mistakes to stay away from when practicing music, as featured in an article on The Music Studio.
First, try not to practice too fast. When you are first starting, you do not need to play at a performance level speed. Start slow to build your technique, and eventually move up to a regular playing speed once you are comfortable. You want first to make sure you are playing correctly before you worry about playing efficiently. Next, you do not have to start at the beginning of the song every time you practice. When you do that, you miss out on working on the parts you need the most practice in. Break the song up in digestible portions, and ensure that you are playing each bit accurately before trying to play the song in its entirety.
Also, do not be afraid to record yourself. It can be frustrating to listen to if you have to restart the song or replay a particular part continually, but it will be beneficial for you in the long run. Listening back to recordings can more accurately show you the areas you need work in, and watching videos of yourself playing can help you to analyze your technique better. In addition, never practice without a plan set. When you practice just to practice, you are not working on clear goals for becoming better. Every time you practice, you should set a goal and a strategy to achieve it so that you can track your progress and continuously push yourself to improve.
Lastly, do not mess up your potential by not practicing enough. If you want to be good at your craft, you have to make sure you are working at it consistently. Professional musicians practice for an average of 4 hours each day. Not everyone needs to put in this much time, but you should at least dedicate the same amount of time each day to practicing your music. When you are inconsistent in your practice, you can forget things you’ve learned and quickly regress.