Practicing is a daily routine of any music maker. Sometimes we take our instrument out when we catch a 10 minute break from work, and other times we dedicate more time to this very important part of building musical stamina. Whether a touring artist or at-home parent, our daily practice space is not always the same, but what we could do is make sure that we have those 5 essential things with us, whenever and wherever we practice.

1. Metronome: Hard to assume that a Metronome website won’t mention this little device as essential! A metronome – be it old-school or an online digital app – is the one device that helps us make sure we are practicing in tempo and keeping steady with the beat. Most of the traditional practice exercises are devised from rhythmic repetition and subdivisions, so keeping a metronome around is a must!

2. Pencil: Yes – be it Apple pen or your good old traditional pencil, this is a must to have around when practicing both musical and technical exercises. How many times have we found ourselves coming up with a brilliant idea and then forgetting it because we didn’t have a device to write the idea down? Let’s not have that happen again, so keep this tool around at all times.

3. Glass of Water: Staying hydrated means keeping your focus for a lengthier period of time, and we all know how important focus is. Having water around at all times is not only a must during practice sessions, but also in our everyday lives. Did you know that our body is made of almost 60% water? We want to keep that ratio up!

4. Seat Cushion: When sitting down to practice for a long time, it is only natural for our backs to bend a bit and that is not good in the long run. Having the right ergonomic support in the form of a firm cushion may feel a bit awkward but it will provide for the right stimulus of support so that we are disciplined about sitting straight up.

5. Awareness Of Fatigue: The last on the list is not a thing but a sensibility towards our body. They say that we shouldn’t sit for more than 45 minutes straight, so the awareness of when to stand up and walk around is something that we should always keep in mind. Stretching, walking, and taking a break are things that prolong our practice sessions and make us vital for longer stretches of time.

What are your favorite things to keep around your practice space? Write to us and ask us questions – we would love to hear from you! 🙂