Practicing without Your Instrument

Everybody has weeks where it becomes difficult to practice. Whether it is from a vacation, illness or just too much homework, we can easily fall into the trap of not practicing at all. The key to getting better at an instrument is consistency; so if it is for even just five minutes or less, try to practice. Here are a few ways that I have been able to practice even when I am away from my instrument.

1. Go through the music: Simply put, read through the music and play through the piece as if you were sitting with your instrument. It is definitely a distant second best to practicing on the real thing, but you can still go over fingerings and rhythms efficiently - and you can do this virtually anywhere. There was a drum excerpt that I was having difficulty playing for YEARS. Since I teach music and gig a lot, I don't have time to practice so whenever I had free time, I'd practice the excerpt by drumming on my lap. I finally had some time to sit at a drum kit and practice, and surprisingly, the excerpt I practiced in my lap was almost perfect!

2. Hum/sing the melody: Humming the melody can help you in many ways. It helps you to check if you have memorized the piece, which if you haven't, now you know the spots you need to go over. Singing allows the musical phrase to become a natural part of your body, which inevitably affects your playing, usually for the better. If you're a vocalist, it's obvious why singing your melody is important!

3. Research the piece: On a long car ride? Waiting in the doctor's office for a while? Grab your smart phone and start looking up facts about your piece. There are often ideas and information that can effect how you perform your piece. Furthermore, the more information you know about the piece and the composer, the better off you are in general.

4. Listen to the piece: This seemingly obvious fact goes very neglected. Try your best to listen to quality recordings of the piece you are learning. Take note of the performer(s) on the track. What did you like about their playing style? What didn't you like? Is there anything that they did that you'd like to try in your interpretation of your piece?