We often think about what we have to achieve and what is imperative that we do when practicing, but do we ever think what not to do? Bad habits are hard to unlearn and can cause learning disorders and physical disabilities over time. Let’s look at 5 common ‘don’ts’ when practicing an instrument.

BAD POSTURE

Have you ever noticed that when we are grooving and really enjoying our time playing, we tend to contort our body in strange ways? This may feel like nothing in a moment, but after years and years of repeated movement our body starts to show signs of misalignment. The solution is simple – see to the problem before it becomes one.

MUSIC STAND TOO LOW

Have you ever sat down with your instrument and just pulled up the music stand ‘as is’? The music is already on there, ready to be played, right? Then, a couple of hours go by and you’ve been hunching over all this time with the neck bent ready for a massage therapy. Remember to set that music stand to the appropriate height before engaging in practicing!

CELL PHONE RINGING

Have you ever had your practice session interrupted by a swarm of Facebook alerts, incoming emails and texts? If the answer is yes, then try the ‘do not disturb’ option for the amount of time spent with your instrument. Being focused will make your practice routine much better, and having the results come quicker.

SIT WHEREVER

Have you ever just picked up your instrument and sat down wherever convenient? Sometimes that’s an ergonomic chair, and other times it’s a comfy and soft sofa, where keeping a straight posture is practically impossible. The fix is simple – designating a practice area with a good chair will prevent your back from being upset with you in the long run.

TV IN THE BACKGROUND

Have you ever practiced technique and thought that a Netflix show will be a good buffer for the dull repetitions that you need to do? Think twice when deferring your focus to something as external as a TV, because it makes it practically impossible for us to focus on the right way of executing a technique drill, making it ultimately ineffective.  Or even worse, you could be learning the “wrong” way of doing it and setting yourself up for a long road of having to unlearn the mistake latter on.

Have fun practicing! 🙂