Over the years, I’ve tried many methods of taking music lesson notes and keeping a music practice journal. Some of these worked for a while, or evolved into other forms of journaling or note-taking. Ultimately, I found that a straightforward, one-document weekly music lesson note structure works the best for me to remember my lessons…

How recordings, transcripts, and AI summaries support more intentional musical practice I’m in a violin lesson, I begin playing the piece I am currently working on and it doesn’t start off as I’d hoped. The first chord is out of tune, then, as I proceed to play, my spiccato feels unbalanced. There is a lot…

The new year is the perfect time to renew your musical intentions, delve into a new project, and to challenge yourself musically. I personally like the idea of starting off the new year with a practice challenge to strengthen or build new habits. If you are looking to challenge yourself to practice differently, or to…

After beginning to work on the Finale from Ysaye’s Sonata No. 4, I was looking for a warmup routine to ease me into practice while working on the musical and technical elements I’ll need to solidify to play the Finale. I turned to Ysaye’s Exercises et Gammes, a short scale book showcasing exercises and scales as…

As an amateur violinist, violist or adult learner, finding consistent time to practice can be a challenge. But even if you don’t have a large amount of time to set aside, short, intentional practice sessions can help you make meaningful progress on your instrument. Over time, I’ve discovered that adding structure to my own practice,…

Finding consistent time to practice can be one of the biggest challenges as an amateur violinist, violist, or adult learner. It isn’t always possible to sit down for the same amount of time each day, and sometimes we can only make a few minutes practice work in our busy days. Still, even a short session…

A music practice journal (sometimes called a practice log or practice notebook) helps musicians plan, track, and reflect on their practice sessions. Whether you’re an adult learner, an amateur violinist, or returning to an instrument after time away, journaling can bring structure and reflection into your practice. As an adult violin student, my goal is…

When I first started taking violin lessons again as an adult returning to playing, I kept a dedicated music practice journal to track how much time I spent practicing and what I spent this time doing. After tracking my practice for some time, I realized that the component missing for me in this journal was…

Using Dice in Scale Practice If you’re like me, you might struggle to keep your scale practice fresh. Maybe you tend to play the same scales over and over, or perhaps you have a solid, varied routine that still feels a little stale. Either way, adding a new twist can reinvigorate your practice. I’m someone…

My sense of musical pulse has never been particularly strong. As a violinist/violist playing in a community orchestra that tackles challenging standard repertoire, this troubles me. For years, I learned solo pieces by listening to recordings, then imitating the rhythms I heard. This works, more or less, when learning a solo piece. But the thick…