Practice tips for Adult Students

1. Practice is not about how much time you put in it, but how strong is your focus when you practice. The result absolutely depends on the focus.
2. Start the practice with a short warm up, dont skip it, it prepares your hands, ligaments and tendons become softer and flexible as warmed up.
3. Practice is a journey not a chore.
4. Practice journey has many and different rounds, depends where in the process you are now.
5. During practice journey one discovers interesting layers of the music, fascinating chords, contrasting themes and more.
6. If your practice consists of just repeats with no intention, or you have no question in mind, then you will not improve or learn the piece. Questions to ask:
   • Am I playing slow or rushing?
   • Do I follow the correct fingering, every time the same set?
   • How is my hands coordination? Do you hear hands chasing? Slow down then until they stay together all the time.
   • Do I listen to my sound??? LISTEN PEOPLE! Your sound will improve very fast!What is my sound? What is the color- harsh, soft, bright? What touch I need for these?
   • Do I feel the bottom of the keys, or just barely touch them?
   • Is my hand breathing at the end and the start of each phrase? My lifts?
   • Do I shape my phrase?
   • Do I acknowledge the articulation- legato, staccato, non-legato, accents?Do I have my chords unified? Do I force them, or drop the hand on the fingers for good solid chords?
   • How is my dynamic, does it feel all the same to my fingers from beginning to end? If so, you are not playing with dynamics, but same flat sound. Your ears and fingers need to feel the difference in the sound, so focus on that.
   • What is the mood/character of the piece? Does it change?

These are all fundamental questions for your practice to be successful and you to enjoy. Ask one question at a time and focus on listening your sound to find the answer. Repeat couple of times if needed to improve the sound. Multiple mechanical repeats are useless, do not do it. Practice one small section at a time. Focus and questions is what you need. And listen, listen, listen….and enjoy the sound!

Happy practicing!

© Dr. Nelly Matova, Matova Music School 2025