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Deliberate Play v. Deliberate Practice

by Tim Topham

Deliberate Practice I’ve talked at length in previous posts about the importance of “Deliberate Practice”, a phrase made popular in Geoff Colvin’s brilliant book, “Talent is Overrated”, in making your limited practice time more effective. But can you actually do too much practice? We’ve all heard that “too much of anything is a bad thing” ... Deliberate Play v. Deliberate Practice

11/13/2011 Read more

Deliberate Practice

by Tim Topham

My summer holiday reading this year centered on a book called Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else by Geoff Colvin (highly recommended). The really positive revelation in this book is that the ‘most talented’ people in the world in any pursuit only get there by masses of hard work and ... Deliberate Practice

05/24/2011 Read more

Piano Practice Guides for Motivating Students [Free Resources]

by Roberta Wolff

Have you ever wondered how a student’s practice diary or assignment book can best support their development as a musician or if there’s even any point in writing things down each week? Have you ever wondered if there are better ways that you can guide your students to practise effectively during the week? Many of us ... Piano Practice Guides for Motivating Students [Free Resources]

02/23/2016 Read more

Voyeuristic Practice?! How watching other performers can make you a better player.

by Tim Topham

I was watching a TV program last week called “Test your brain“, a series developed by National Geographic Channel which explores how the mind works. The first episode was all about memory (interesting enough for musicians), but the second episode entitled, “You won’t believe your eyes”, really got me thinking about the effect of visual ... Voyeuristic Practice?! How watching other performers can make you a better player.

09/19/2012 Read more

The hardest thing about practice is…not playing on!

by Tim Topham

One of the hardest things about effective, deliberate practice is knowing when to stop! Have you ever experienced this situation: You decide to work on a small phrase of your music, perhaps just a bar or hand position change to a tricky chord, only to find a few seconds later, you’ve already gone on and ... The hardest thing about practice is…not playing on!

08/06/2011 Read more

If your practice sounds good, it’s not practice, it’s just playing!

by Tim Topham

Last night at my student’s mid-year recital I reminded all my students and their parents that practice, if effective and done properly, should not sound “nice” all that often. Why? One simple reason. For students to push themselves to learn harder pieces and conquer new technical difficulties, their practice will necessarily sound pretty bad more ... If your practice sounds good, it’s not practice, it’s just playing!

06/24/2011 Read more
 

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5 Ways To Help Your Students Feel Performance Ready

by Georgina Wilson

Performances can be scary. Can you remember how you felt as a music student walking onto a stage for the first time? Do you remember your hands shaking as you played your first note? As teachers we can help our students feel less nervous about performing, and boost their confidence, whether they're playing in a recital, a competition, or an exam.

03/06/2023 Read more

1000 Hours to Competence « Music Teacher’s Helper Blog

by Tim Topham

Should 10,000 hours really be the benchmark? You’ve no doubt heard rule of thumb that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of practice to become a master of something. The statement originated in Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outliers” and, even if you haven’t read it, you’ve no doubt heard the statistic. It has since been used by many authors in discussing high-achievement and ... 1000 Hours to Competence « Music Teacher’s Helper Blog

12/22/2014 Read more

Preparing For an AMusA Performance Diploma Exam – Why Bother?!

by Tim Topham

I recently sat and passed my Associate Diploma of Performance (called the “AMusA” piano exam in Australia) with Distinction. Needless to say, I was ecstatic! It was a project that I’d been working towards for around two years, having last sat a piano exam when I was 12 and having had a break of around ... Preparing For an AMusA Performance Diploma Exam – Why Bother?!

02/09/2012 Read more

5 Must-Have Books For Guitar Teachers in 2023

by Michael Gumley

Even as teachers, we're still learning. From discovering new teaching methods, ways of practicing, or business skills, reading books can help you improve as a guitar teacher and a business owner.

04/27/2023 Read more

Is Your Teaching Limiting Your Studio Growth?

by Dave Simon

Learn the 3 mindsets of studio owners and find which type you are!

01/10/2021 Read more

TTTV008: Tactics for teaching piano students with ASD & ADHD – Thembi Shears

by Mauro Dalu

Have you ever taught a student with special needs or learning difficulties? Do you have a student right now who is on the Autism Spectrum? In today’s podcast epidsode Thembi Shears shares her fantastic insights into teaching students with ASD or ADHD. Thembi talks about what these terms mean, the difficulties you may encounter, and how ... TTTV008: Tactics for teaching piano students with ASD & ADHD – Thembi Shears

06/17/2015 Read more