Music Articles

“Profitable Practice Versus Wasted Practice”

Summary of Alexander Lambert's Article

I found this article to be a very fascinating overview of how to encourage students to practice effectively. Mr. Lambert begins by saying that there is not a “one way fits all” approach to practice. Each student’s mental focus is so different, it would be virtually impossible to “make a set of practice rules or a practice plan that would cover all cases.” Although I agree to a certain extent, I think there are basic practice techniques that can be applicable to all students. For example: correct repetition is a must to keep a passage under the fingers regardless of a student’s age or circumstance.

Mr. Lambert talks about the importance of the teacher “leav[ing] nothing undone to make the practice interesting and enthusiastic” for a beginning student. If a teacher does not “see [the music] through the eyes of the child” he will not be successful. When a student enters a lesson “with a face that is a picture of unwillingness…he should leave the studio with a face beaming with the excitement of having learned something beautiful and profitable.” The successful teachers are those who can “charge the pupil with the desire to work and work hard until the next lesson.”

I thought it was quite interesting that Mr. Lambert said a teacher who can motivate a student to work hard will “outstrip many who may have better technical equipment and who wonder why they do not succeed by parading the fact that their training has been the most elaborate of any of the teachers in town.” He brings up an excellent point that “the one great thing in all education is simply results.” I really like this thought, because it’s true. I think an excellent example of this is Bridget McBride. Although she does not have her Masters or her PhD, she has set up an extremely successful piano studio, because she has learned to get “results.”

It is important to keep a student on an “undisturbed study plan.” In other words, if a student begins with a certain method book, it may be a disturbance to try to switch method books. Mr. Lambert also talks about avoiding criticism of other teacher’s pupils. He says, “All teachers have their own ideas and are entitled to think as their judgment prompts. It is most unjust to criticize the work of another teacher in good standing, as one may not perceive the purposes for which the other teacher is working.”

A student should be taught from the very beginning to “watch his own work so carefully that he may determine at home whether he works correctly or not.” Mr. Lambert emphasizes that although it is important to have repetition in practice, good practice requires “intelligent repetition”. He stresses that a student should “concentrate upon the difficult passages and work on them until they sound as fluent and simple as the ones that are [easy].” Your mind should always be engaged in your practice and should consistently be learning to “discriminate very nicely indeed between what is artistic, effective, or beautiful, and that which is weak, banal or ugly.”

I really like what he says about listening to yourself when you practice. He says, “Listen to yourself…as though a stranger were playing.” Because, when we listen to others we are “all ears” listening for “false notes, bad phrasing, poor pedaling, etc.” So, if we pretend like we are listening to someone else, even someone who was our “rival”, our ears would surely pick up on the minute details.

I appreciated what Mr. Lambert said about the physical condition of the student. He says, “There are times when practice is more injurious than beneficial. If the bodily health is bad the student should lessen his practice efforts or even stop entirely until better physical conditions are obtained.” He also mentions the “capacity” of students, and how it is important to only “practice as long at one time as you can practice well.” He says “too much work is worse than too little.” Although I don’t entirely agree with that statement, I do think it is important to find a balance. He says, “do everything you do as finely as you possibly can, even though you succeed in learning no more than a few measures.” I really like that thought!

I love what Mr. Lambert says about focus in practicing. He says, “When the student starts to practice- that is, practice in such a way that he will get something out of his work, he should direct his mind as definitely and as certainly as though he were taking it to another room- a kind of chamber of practice.”

When practicing scales, he emphasizes the importance of paying special attention to “touch, strength, speed, lightness, surety, and looseness.”

There is an entire paragraph which is so profound, I would like to quote it:

“The worst kind of practice is perfunctory practice. The key board is a kind of treadmill for thousands of students. They play and play and play, and never consider the musical side of their work…In all your practice with pieces, every note, every motive, every phrase, every section you play, should be filled to the utmost with musical expression. That is, you should not leave a phrase pass under your fingers unless it has meant something to you. It should have passed through your consciousness and should carry a message to other ears, a message which is a part of you.”

Another wonderful part of this article says, “Take the natural, simple way- be yourself. Some unfortunate pupils imagine great effort, wrinkled foreheads and nervous anxiety will lead to results in practice. Quite the opposite is really true. Let your mind and your fingers do the work, not your face.”

Mr. Lambert stresses the importance of practicing regularly. He says, “Practice regularly or not at all.” He has never encouraged his own students to practice more than four hours. His advice has always been, “Do as much as you can learn perfectly.”

To quote him again, “Seldom practice over four hours a day. Don’t think that by practicing six or seven hours a day you will become a greater artist than he who practices four hours a day…a student who cannot accomplish much in four hours, will not in six.”

I liked the way he has his students split their practice time. He says, “In the morning devote half an hour to five-finger exercises and scales, half an hour to your etudes and half an hour to your sonata or piece.” He recommends doing this same approach in the afternoon and then reviewing your last lesson in the evening.