Practice is an essential part of beginning your music experience. It will help you improve all of your musical skills, including: your tone, endurance, technique, and reading ability. It will also make playing your instrument more enjoyable!

To start, it is recommended that beginner musicians practice a minimum of 15 minutes per day. That’s Everyday! It is also recommended to practice at the same time everyday.

When you practice, make sure that you have the following items before you get started. If possible leave as many of these items set up for your next practice session and just pack up your instrument and music. This will save you time so you can practice even more.

Things to have

Your instrument, set up and ready to play.
A music stand.
Your printed music and play along music for this session.
A chair that promotes good posture.
A pencil with an eraser.
A metronome.
A tuner.
Your D^aily P^ractice R^ecord (click here to get our practice record).
A space conducive to practicing; a well-lit, quiet room.

Optional

CD, cassette, or record player.
B^lank S^heet M^usic (click here to get free sheet music)
A device to record yourself.
A full-length mirror.
Ear Plugs for protecting your hearing if you play a loud instrument.

Saxophone Practice Tips

Always practice with good posture.
Keep your elbows close to your sides and relax your shoulders.
Fight the urge to look at your hands. Keep your head up and try to feel the keys.
Keep your fingers curved and close to the keys when switching notes.
Always play with a steady, pleasing tone.
Listen to saxophone recordings and go to concerts.
Be patient. It won’t be long before you’re playing songs.
HAVE FUN!

Clarinet Practice Tips

Always practice with good posture.
Keep your elbows close to your sides and relax your shoulders.
Fight the urge to look at your hands. Keep your head up and try to feel the keys.
Keep your fingers curved and close to the keys when switching notes.
Always play with a steady, pleasing tone.
If you’re having trouble playing a note, check to see if you’re bumping any keys on the side of the clarinet.
Listen to clarinet recordings and go to concerts.
Be patient. It won’t be long before you’re playing songs.
HAVE FUN!

Flute Practice Tips

Keep your head up and try not to hunch forward when you’re playing.
Keep your right hand curved and relax your left hand. If you get a cramp in your left hand, shake it out and take a break.
It is good to stand up when you practice.
If your tone sounds airy, look at your mouth position in a mirror. You may not be blowing air in the center of the embouchure hole.
Listen to flute recordings and go to concerts.
Be patient. It won’t be long before you’re playing songs.
HAVE FUN!