All of us live in a 24/7 society now. Sometimes it's difficult to find the time to sleep!
But despite the crazy schedule I have, I'm all about getting results in a timely manner. By creating an efficient practice regimen, I believe you can achieve your technique goals.
What are the things you should consider for quicker results? Here's a quick list:
Metronome
Practicing with a metronome should be your bread and butter. Having one on your music stand gives you structure in your practice time because no matter what, it will always tell you the truth. If you don't have one, there are so many apps out there in the App Store or Google Play Store and download one. It's quick, it's easy, and it's free! No excuse.
Sound Production
Finding ways to produce a specific sound should always be in the forefront of your practice regimen. What I mean by this is that by observing how you attack the string can help you achieve different sounds. Composers oftentimes don't give markings on the sound they want you to produce. Do your research on the stylistic ways of different time periods. There are different qualities of sound and I encourage you to explore that along with your metronome practice.
Lastly...
Practice slowly
And with a metronome! (You see how this metronome theme keeps coming back?)
Practicing slowly can help you notice problems in your playing. It'll also help you think of solutions to help solve your playing problems by approaching them slowly rather than playing fast like lightning. Focus on your bow hand, the way your left hand is positioned, think of the way your finger tips are approaching the string. Ask yourself, "How can I improve? What can I do to prevent the mistake and have the solution stick with me?" These are questions I ask myself every day in the practicing room because with a demanding performance schedule, sometimes you don't have the luxury to be practicing long periods of time. I also don't recommend you do that because once you practice for more than 4 hours at a time, then you're prone to getting injured. It won't make the journey and experience fun anymore. But that's a whole other blog post! :-)
So there you have it!
It's all about how mindful you can be when you practice. If you can find ways to do that, then you're golden.
What's your favorite practice method? Share your comments below!