Mental Practice
Sometimes you just don’t have access to your instrument, but you really need to practice. Did you know you can improve your instrument without even playing it? Below is a list of ways to practice mentally, without your instrument.
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Listen to a recording
Find a recording of a piece you are working on and listen to it without distraction. Better yet, listen to several different recordings and compare them against each other. Which is your favorite, and why? What is special about it, and how can you replicate that?
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Study the score
This method works especially well with chamber and orchestra music because it allows you to see what other instruments or sections are playing throughout the piece. Scores for public domain works can be found on the International Music Score Library Project at imslp.org for free.
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Imagine yourself performing
When preparing for an audition or performance, try to go through the process that you will go through beforehand in your head. That way, when it’s time for the real event, you’ll feel like you’ve already been through it. You must imagine yourself performing well; don’t let yourself imagine messing up a passage or thinking about what might go wrong, as this will decrease your confidence and set you up to make mistakes. Picture yourself playing every tricky passage with ease!
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Watch a masterclass online
Hundreds of professional masterclasses with world-class musicians are available to watch online. Watching a masterclass and taking notes can help you to set specific goals for your next practice session and give you ideas for improving your technique and musicality. You can watch masterclasses on the piece you’re playing, or find one taught by your favorite musician and see what they have to say about technique on your instrument!
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Hone your music theory knowledge
Having a solid foundation of music theory knowledge will help you immensely as a musician. Many websites and apps can help you learn music theory, including musictheory.net and their app Tenuto.
Practicing mentally can be just as productive as playing your instrument. We hope these tips will help you maximize your time and continue to improve while you are away from your instrument!