How Long Should I Practice For?

Asking how long you should practice learning how to play your instrument is like asking how long a piece of string is – there is no solid answer to that question! It varies for everyone, whether you are a beginner, aspiring musician or a professional!

How long and often you practice your instrument depends on your goals. If you are a beginner, you are more than likely going to practice less than a professional.

So, as there is no solid answer to how long you should practice – there are things to consider that can help you decide on how long you think is best.

1. Short Intervals

   Often, learning something new can become quite daunting as we can spend so much time practising, which means that our energy levels can become quite low – therefore if we practice several times a day in short intervals we will then become much more productive. With shorter periods, you have more time to digest new material. Long blocks of time can cause us to lose motivation, so shorter bursts will increase our levels of productivity.

2. Consistency

   Rome wasn’t built in a day, important work takes time! Music is not learnt in a day, it takes time and consistency! Daily practice is a great idea and you also learn more when you sleep. Studies have shown that when you have a great night sleep, your performance improves and so do your memory skills.

3. Keep Note

   Keeping a journal of where you are up to can have a huge benefit on your learning as it can give you a sense of direction. Seeing your progress from your practice time will show you how far you have come which is a great motivator! This will confirm that all the time you spend practising is worth it!

4. Timing

   You are more productive when your energy levels are higher, this time is different for everyone! Are you a morning person? If so, schedule some time into practice! Or, if you are a night owl – practice at night! Try and stick to a regular time, you will then be more consistent and make it a regular thing to practice daily.

5. Relax

   It is okay to take a break from learning, we are only human after all! But, don’t let that little break turn into a few days as it can be hard to get back into the swing of things again!

Hopefully, this has given you an insight into what we think is great for practising, as mentioned there is no exact time measurement that you can put on this! If you would like to start music lessons or would like more information regarding learning how to play – please visit our music school page where you can find out more!