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How can I practice music better?

Michael Noble, PhD
Professional Pianist
Michael Noble is a professional concert pianist who received his PhD in Piano Performance from the Yale School of Music. He is a previous contemporary music fellow of the Belgian American Educational Foundation and has performed at Carnegie Hall and at other venues across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Michael Noble, PhD

Professional Pianist

Expert Answer

Think of your practicing as similar to being a doctor. You have to diagnose the problems you're having with your playing first, then figure out how to fix them. You have to be very practical about it in order to improve. The artistic aspect will come with time.

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Question

How can I get kids to practice and instruments every day?

Community Answer

Make sure they're interested, and, if necessary, find another way to keep them interested. Kids won't want to practice something they don't enjoy and an extra motivation will help inspire them to perform better. Give them a good area in which to practice, ensure that they have had food before the practice and do not allow distracting devices to be on in their hearing distance.

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Question

Why is it important to practice properly when you learn to play a piece of music?

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Community Answer

It is important to practice properly so you can continue to get better on your instrument. It will also help you learn faster, and master the piece of music.

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Question

My oboe is easy to play for me, but I can't stand the short amount of time I get to practice! What can I do to make the most of the little time I have?

Community Answer

To get the most out of your time, make sure to only practice when you're focused, practice in a quiet, isolated space, and work heavily on the areas you need to improve, instead of the whole piece of music.

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Question

How can I play song by hearing?

Community Answer

You can start with the first note, and then play notes until you get that note right. Then you can move along, and try to guess the intervals between the notes, then give it your best shot. If it sounds too low, play higher. If it sounds too high, play lower. Once you think you have it, play through it to see if it sounds right, or if something needs to be changed. Once the song is complete, work at it at a faster tempo until you can play it at the tempo you want.

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What is the hardest song that you can play?

Community Answer

It depends on the instrument. There is no particular "hardest song that you can play." I play the clarinet and the hardest one I've seen is Violin Sonata No.9 by Beethoven (clarinet version). If you want a hard song to play, try to find the hardest note for you to play (in your opinion) and find it in a song. It shouldn't take that long if you know what you're looking for, but, practice makes perfect!

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