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How do you deal with attention span issues when practicing?

I started alternating solos and excerpts after my warmups. I used to a block of excerpts and then a block of solos but alternating gave me a fresh approach to keep my mind engaged.

Rather than focusing on recording practice time in a log, consider a pre-practice log. A sort of pre-flight checklist.

• What is the plan for the session?
• What spots will you work on?
• What is the outcome?
• How long will  you practice for?
• When  you will take a break?
• How long will your break be?

Be specific!!

Here’s a practice record you can download. Download the PDF HERE.

I’m a logger – I keep track of just about everything and have many journals, both paper and electronic. I was reviewing my notes on practice records and here are some of my current thoughts.

For the public school setting practice records can be a great tool to establish patterns and habits.

For the private studio setting I still like using the  Musicians Practice Planner.

For myself and an  advanced student I think paper still offers the most flexibility and I like using a composition notebook or a Moleskine Graph Notebook.

Some other random thoughts I found in my journal:

Google Docs? too clunky

Notebook on iPhone? not clean enough

Spreadsheet?  yes – would like to see more data / month at a glance but clunky to maintain

In a separate iCal or google calendar? Laptop and maintenance too clunky

GoalKeeper on iPhone? – Can’t see time

…which all brings me back to paper!!

I’ve been searching for the perfect practice and workout logging tools. I’ve spent a  little too much at the iTunes app store only to realize how powerful the free Google Calendar is.

I setup multiple calendars, each with different colors.
You can create a calendar for your plans and another for your logs. It is also easy to change entries from calendar to calendar. For example, I’ve created plans for my workouts, then when they’re complete I just change their color to a different calendar so I know I completed them. With a practice log you can enter your time and see how you’re doing for any given time.

5 misconceptions about practicing from How To Pratice.com

Here’s an Excel file I made a while ago.

Behance – Creative, organizing, and productivity notebooks

Of course, don’t overlook the usefulness of a traditional composition notebook.

Musicians Practice Planner

Also check notebooks by Gold Fibre

My practice zone or ‘cockpit’:

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Healthy Practicing by William Westney, from The Perfect Wrong Note.

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Practice Page

What programs do you use to track your practicing? I currently use myLogger on my iPhone.

Some questions to ask:

Do I want to record time and get info such as averages?
Yes, then The Daily Tracker works well.
Also try myLogger.

No, I just want to see patterns.
Then try TouchGoal.

Yes but I don’t need the ‘extra math’ done for me.
Then try setting up another calendar in iCal or your calendar of choice.

Want a paper solution?
Try The Musician’s Practice Planner

Want a digital solution similar to paper?
Try Awesome Note

Check out some tips at my other blog, The Evolving Educator.

So lately my practicing has been in a state of stagnation. I’m still practicing but it’s a bit of a chore. But one must press on so I decided to change some things.

I firmly believe in a practice area – a place where you have all your materials and where your brain learns that ok, it’s time to practice. But after many years My zone was a little moldy, but I didn’t want to rearrange my entire apartment. So I just turned in 45 degrees. Ah! A fresh view; a new perspective. Not bad!

Now onto scales. I know my scales well. Really well. I needed a new approach so I found excerpts that are scalar – such as Marriage of Figaro and the end of Young Person’s Guide… I can do my scales with actual music – refreshing!

I also had some sections that needed some good ol’ brute force repetition and finger strengthening. So I turned on the television while I did it. And voila, rather than my brain wasting away after 30 seconds, 5 or 1o minutes went by well I did my repetitions.

Now – OF COURSE – I don’t recommend this to younger and developing students. However, for some us that have been playing a while and need some rejuvenation it can be just what we need.

Here are some solutions to anxiety and nerves. This is from Men’s Health, April 2009, Page 40.

I love to log and track things. I monitor my practice, my exercising, moods, etc. but finding least obtrusive method can be difficult.

I recently setup several calendars in iCal – one for practicing and one for exericising. The great thing is I can get a month view and see general patterns or a day view and see times.

“Sharpening the Saw” is one of Dr. Stephen Covey’s ‘habits’ in is 7 Steps for Highly Effective People.

It came to mind yesterday when I was practicing. I’m getting back into ‘shape’ and practicing after traveling for the holidays – I’m also getting back into my gym routine as well. I noticed my mind and focus wandering a bit both in musical practice and in the gym.

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A while ago I blogged about using some iPhone apps – including Chronology – to aid in practicing.

The developer of Chronology has let me know about a new app called Routine Timer that will be coming out in the next few weeks. I see great potential in this app for keeping practicing routines and timelines on track. I’ll post a review when it’s released.

I posted a new practice page on learning ornaments. Check it out.

Check out some practice tools I blogged about at Jason Heath’s Double Bass Blog.