Practice:
What does “Practice” mean, and what might it look/sound like?
Try for a 20-30 minute practice session. Set a timer - - this helps!
Try for a 20-30 minute practice session. Set a timer - - this helps!
- Put horn carefully together
- Begin by playing easy things, like song 1, 2, 3...etc... Play each song 2 times to get warmed up.
- Play some scales, like B-flat, or E-flat, F, C, Chromatic.
- Begin to work on our official assignment, usually a page in the book. You should know what page we are working on, but if you are not sure, page through and find familiar songs. Play each song 3 times - - if a song is hard just do one or two measures at a time - - play as slow as you need to to get it.
- Spend some time drilling notes (in the 5th grade we know 5 - - NAME your notes in each song, and FINGER them - - even SAY the names of the notes out loud WHILE you finger (works great - - you might SAY E, D, C. E, D, C. CCCC DDDD E, D, C for Hot Cross Buns while you finger/slide it. Write notes IN your book if you are really having trouble. We try not to do this later, but right at first it might really help.
- Play a concert for someone each time, or end with your 4 favorite songs just for yourself.
- Carefully put horn away and clean it too. WRITE ON YOUR PRACTICE RECORD THAT YOU PRACTICED! Yay! Use a calendar at home, or use the one I will give you, or use a sticky note, but do keep track!!