Always Be Motivated To Practice!

Are you Ready to Start Practicing and Get Better?

Playing the saxophone requires consistent practice. If consistent practice has been a challenge for you, or you want to make sure you are always motivated to practice, then follow the steps below.

Set Up a Date with Your Saxophone

What do people do when they have a date with someone? They set up a time, day, and place. Let’s do this with the saxophone.

1. Set the number of days you will practice in a week
   • The more days in a row you practice, the faster you will improve
   • Practicing 10 minutes a day for a week is much better than a onetime 90 minute session for the week.
2. Set the time you will practice each day
   • Try to practice the same time each day
3. Practice in the same place each day
   • Of course this is flexible, but if your family, friends, or neighbors know your schedule and where you practice, it will be a courtesy to them.  In other words, they will not have any surprises when taking a nap!
   • If you are middle or high school age, creating a schedule and then sharing it with your parents will probably impress them. Parents will usually make sure nothing stands in your way to keep your commitment.

Late For Class?

Treat your practice time like a class or meeting.

1. Write your practice time into your schedule. Here is an example how scheduling can help.
   
   • Example: If one of your friends asks you to go to a movie during your scheduled practice time, you can let them know you are busy and make other arrangements. If you did not set a practice time, the chance of practicing becomes less likely. 
   • Missing a practice session brings frustration, while consistency adds to your motivation.
2. Let your friends and family know your schedule
   • As mentioned before, this will be a courtesy to them
   • If friends and family know, it will be motivation to keep your schedule. You could even ask someone to follow up with you; this is a great motivating tool.

Climbing a Mountain with a Saxophone!

Some people climb the highest mountains in the world, and when they get to the top there is an unmistakable sense of victory…I never understood that growing up. I never felt any victory by climbing something that took all day. I had fun, but I usually felt cold, tired, or hungry.  As I got older I learned that my mountains were different; my mountains were made of music. Each time I reached a musical goal, I felt victory! I felt like I was on top of the world.

As you make and keep your goals, you will begin to feel success. When you feel this success, you will be continually motivated to practice and climb the next mountain. As you succeed with your goals (and learn how to practice correctly) your musical success will be an automatic result of your practice.

Start Now!

There is so much to look forward, too! So set your practice schedule, treat your practice times as a class, and meet your practicing goals on a weekly basis. Do these three things and you will get better on a weekly basis. If you have not started taking lessons yet, go ahead and start for free by clicking here!

A Question

What motivates you to keep practicing? Let me know by commenting in the field below. I look forward to your comments!