As a teacher I am always trying to stress the importance of practice. The importance of working hard for something and mastering your skill. I have some of the most talented kids in Saint Louis coming to my student and I can think of two who are truly practicing, writing down their practice, doing a full set of warm ups, tacking their song, taking on challenging pieces, learning classical music, on a year-round basis. (If you are one of these two students I will mention this to you in your lesson this week.) Now don't get me wrong, I too was always needing reminders to properly practice. Then I entered college as a music major and the amount of practice needed to keep up with your weekly lessons was at least 45-90 minutes a day of hard work in a secluded practice room. Hard work was rewarded with more solos in choir, increased vocal flexibility and many more performing opportunities.
Students--listen to me when I say this---you MUST practice properly!
I recently had a parent tell me that their daughter was always practicing. This parent believed that because the young woman was constantly singing in her bedroom that she was practicing. True-she was singing and listening to every single Broadway CD that she owned and singing every single Katy Perry and Pink song that came on the radio but was she doing her vocal warm ups? Practicing her assigned pieces? Hardly.
As a teacher I am amazed at how "talented" I have become in spotting a student who has not practiced. I can usually tell before the student even sings their first note. There is usually some sort of "explanation" (okay fine, I said it) EXCUSE. Gosh, I hated it when my teacher knew but now I see how she knew when I did not practice. Working with many students each week you can simply line up the students and pull out the "practicing students." I make it a point to NEVER compare students but I am able to see consistencies and inconsistencies in the practice habits of each student. It is a known fact that taking voice lessons or piano lessons alone will NOT improve your skills. Your hard work and determination during your HOME PRACTICE TIME is what makes a talented student excel.
It is really important to set up a area of the house that is used for your practicing. I think it is always exciting to have your own music stand for your assigned pieces. Did you know that music stands are only about $12.00 at local music stores? (Parents this is a really fun gift idea.) Check out this MUSIC STAND that is only $4.99 and FREE SHIPPING.
We are currently in "audition season" and it is imperative that students practice and not only that but that they practice effectively. You MUST warm up before you begin to sing your assigned pieces. Many times students will spend more time warming up than they will on actually singing their assigned pieces. As you know, I have made a warm up CD specifically for my students. Students are able to download this entire album (for free), load it on their iPods and have a Kids Sing Studio warm up right in their own home. CLICK HERE for a link to the Kids Sing Studio Warm Up CD.
COMING SOON! KIDS SING STUDIO PRACTICE CONTEST!
I have developed a list of rules that you must follow when you practice.
(A copy of this handout is also included in the Kids Sing Studio Assignment Notebook).
HOW TO PRACTICE FOR YOUR VOICE LESSON
♪ Stand up in front of a mirror. (No sitting allowed during practice)
♪ Have a good CD player or iPod speakers next to you.
♪ Have your warm up CD, practice CD’s and MP3’s from your lesson ready to use.
♪ Have a glass of water.
♪ Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, shoulders back, and head up.
♪ Don’t put your hands in your pockets; play with your clothes, etc. Fingertips should fall at your side gently brushing you’re the sides of your upper thigh.
♪ If you have a piano that is a perfect spot to practice your voice lessons.
You are now ready to begin practicing.
1. Do your ENTIRE warm up CD. (No cheating and skipping exercises) Each student will be given an appropriate warm up CD for his or her particular voice.
2. IF you have done your warm up’s completely then you are allowed to move onto your vocal selections.
3. Practicing does not mean sing each song all the way through each time. Sometimes you may have to repeat a line or phrase over and over again until you get it right. You may also have to sing the song on a particular vowel sound.
4. Practicing also includes listening to a recording of the song. Take the time to listen instead of singing along with the recording. It is so tempting to sing along each time but then you are not allowing yourself to hear the particulars of the song.
5. Sing your songs as if you are in an audition.
6. Take your practice seriously and it will pay off. So many of my students are so close to being GREAT singers if they would only practice!
7. Adopt the following strategy in preparing for your voice lessons: “I will prepare so well for my next lesson that my teacher will have nothing to say about my singing except praise it.” Treat your lessons as performances.
8. Keep yourself hydrated with lots of water.
9. Set regular times for practicing and keep it a top priority.
10. Practice 5 days a week.
11.Take time to listen to recordings of great examples of singing, singers you wish to be like. Ask yourself, what does it feel like to sing that way? How does this singer get that color or feeling in her voice?
12. Take a few minutes to work on vocalizes with your best vowel. Move from that vowel to weak vowels. Vocalize back and forth, strong vowel, then weak vowel. Practice a song this way.
13. 
Memorize your songs.
Memorize your songs. 14. Have fun and think about how much better you will be with consistent practice.
HOW TO PRACTICE FOR YOUR PIANO LESSON
1. Set a timer for your set number of practice minutes
2. Review your weekly assignment book
3. Do your warm up exercises
4. Practice each song and identify your problem areas
5. Play each problem area at least 10 times until you have improved
6. Play the whole song
7. Have some fun!