Easing Back In: Summer Practice Tips

We’ve all been there. 

You put your instrument away after the final concert in the spring and promise it that you’ll be back soon. 

A couple days turns into weeks… which turns into months… and then all of a sudden school is starting again. 

Just like dogs can smell fear, your instrument can smell rejection (well, not really, but it does work a little bit like that). 

While it would be nice if you could cram all your summer practice into one week, it unfortunately doesn’t work that way. If we knew a hack for this problem, we would be shouting it from the rooftops. 

If you’re scratching your head, wondering how to get back into practicing, we’ve got you covered. The PYPO ensemble directors have put together their top tips for keeping practice fresh and exciting as you prepare for the school year to start and for PYPO rehearsals to be back in full swing.

A little can go a long way in these last six or so weeks of summer. Here are our top tips for getting reacquainted with your instrument and having fun in the process!

General Tips

Enjoy the Break 😎

• Sometimes a good break is exactly what you need over the summer. When you DO come back to practice, be deliberate and methodical, working on scales and fundamentals to start. Is there a bad playing habit your teacher has been nagging you about that you can focus on breaking as you rebuild your technique? Is there something you notice as you start playing again that feels particularly easy or challenging? Be observant (but not judgemental) about how time off has affected your playing. 

• Listen to great musicians and attend concerts (check out the pypo blog for a list of free ones this summer!) You don’t have to actively play to improve - listening and enjoying music will help inspire your practice when you return. 

Take Advantage of Extra Time ⏱

• Prepare a concert or short performance for their neighborhood or community! If you have a family reunion coming up they can show off their new songs to family members. You can also do a FaceTime or Zoom concert with grandparents or distant relatives.

• Summer is all about self-discovery, and this is no less true with your musical development. Use this time to experiment with your instrument, asking questions such as...

  • What kind of embouchure, mallet placement, or bow contact point give you your best sound for the piece you're working on?

  • What kind of practice conditions help you play your best?

  • How much warm-up time do you need to be performance-ready?

  Knowing these things about yourself will help you become a better musician!

• If you find yourself with more practice time, talk to your private teacher and let them know if you're ready to be challenged! It's a great opportunity for you to move through more repertoire and advance in your playing. 

The What and How of Practicing

What to Practice in the Summer

• Recordings of your favorite songs!

  • Playing along with recordings of your favorite songs can be a great way to work on your listening and music theory skills. Take it small chunks at a time and see if you can figure out the melody just by listening.

• Sightreading!

  • Summer is a great time to develop your sightreading skills. You can do this by looking at new solos, or finding duets to play with a friend. Ask your teacher for music to look through if you’re not sure where to start. 

• Songs for special occasions!

  • If you’re feeling like you need a break from your method book or scales, you can play a festive song like happy birthday to help celebrate while your family or friends sing.

How to Practice

• Keep your instrument nearby and visible

  • Leaving your instrument out of its case somewhere visible will help you remember to practice it. If it is in the case and stored out of sight, it is tougher to remember to practice (If you leave it out, do make sure it is safe and not in a place where your cat or younger sibling might do any damage!)

Practice Tool: The Skittles Game

This is an awesome tool for practicing, regardless of your age or level. When you are working on a difficult passage, put 10 Skittles or M&M’s (or any small candy of your choice) on your music stand. Every time you play the section correctly, move one M&M to the other side. If you make a mistake, move them all back and start over. Once you get all 10 M&Ms’ to the other side of the stand you get to eat them

• Set a Timer!

  • Using a timer can be helpful for staying focused while you play. You won’t constantly be checking to see how long it’s been – you can just play and take a break when it goes off. Set it for an amount of time that is appropriate for you. If it has been a while since you played, maybe err on the side of a shorter amount of time until you build up your stamina again.

• Investigate and experiment

  • The practice room is like a lab – a controlled environment where you can ask questions and test your theories on what might help in certain passages or with specific challenges. This can be exciting, but also overwhelming. Start with one question a day (or even a week) to ask about your playing and spend 5-10 minutes experimenting with possible answers. Try and think outside the box with your questions and enjoy where it takes you!

• Go back to the basics

  • The end of summer is a great time to revisit your scales and fundamentals. Review things you know you can do to start, and then challenge yourself with memorizing them or increasing the tempo. Again, 5-10 minutes a day can go a loooong way with getting your chops back before school starts. 

Sometimes the summer can feel like a big question mark when it comes to practice. You might not have the structure of lessons or rehearsals to keep you going, and that’s ok. Enjoy the break and follow your curiosities when you do come back to your instrument.