Perfecting an Instrument Piece for a Concert or Performance

Preparing for a big event or performance is not an easy thing to do whether it is an audition, performance, concert, etc. The good thing is that there are excellent practice techniques that will help you prepare for that event. There are ways that you can practice that will make you feel ready for the event. It's how you practice that will make you better, not how much you practice. If you practice wrong for a long length of time, it's not as effective as practicing a short amount of time with the right techinque.

After you have warmed up on your instrument take a look at your piece and split it up into certain amount of bars. Don't make each section of the music too long or too short. If it's a difficult passage, try to split off that section by itself. After you have divided your music into several sections, play each section slowly at your own pace, but make it perfect. After you have played that section 3-5 times perfectly, move on to the next section. Continue this process until your through the piece. Afterwards, play your piece 2-3 times at your own tempo, but work on hitting all the notes and dynamics instead of tempo. Use a metronome afterwards and set it at a slow tempo. Start slowly and play through your piece at that tempo. If you feel comfortable at that tempo after you are done playing it, set it slightly faster and repeat the process until you reach the normal playing speed.

Another significant point about playing in front of an audience is to get the audience to listen to you. You have to get their attention as a performer. In order to do that, you have to add feelings to the music. This is done by playing every single markings in the music such as a cresendo, accent, marcato, staccato, pianissimo, glissando, etc. Playing music is just like reading a book. In order for you to completely understand and digest every single description in the book, you have to read every single word. Similarly in music, you have to play every single markings on the music. It¡¯s what creates the feeling of the music. You can also add your own modifications to the music such as using vibrato. It¡¯s a great music technique that adds color to the music.

Using these techinque is a great way to prepare for an event. Another key thing to preparing is consistency. You as a musician have to be committed and practice consistently everyday using these techniques in order to become a better musician and to prepare for your next music event. Even if it's not a big event, this is a very useful technique because you never know when you'll be having to perform in front of a crowd. It's always good to to be prepared. Use these tips and practice consistently to persue your goal of giving a great performance or becoming a great musician.