Getting Back in Shape!
By Tyler Song
As the summer starts wrapping up, those of us who took time off to rest and recuperate are starting to get back into playing shape again. Whether it’s preparing for auditions, the start of a new academic year, or just coming back to playing after a few weeks off with family, let’s talk about how to restore our playing quickly and effectively!
First things first, make the conscious decision to start working again. Don’t just tell yourself “hmm maybe I should practise more” but rather try to commit to a practise schedule that works for you. That could be as little as 30 minutes a day, but the simple act of picking up the instrument again will snowball quickly.
The important thing here is tonot rush yourself! If you’ve taken some time off chances are you’re a little bit rusty, and your fundamentals may require a little bit of work before they’re back to normal. Take your time, allow your body to remember what it needs to do before jumping into any intense practise.
I often tell my students that how we recover from taking time off can supercharge our learning. Obviously, regular and consistent practise is crucial to improving on our instrument, but we often develop bad habits that fly under the radar because they feel “comfortable”. When we return to the instrument after taking time off, we have the opportunity to rediscover and reinforce good habits while consciously avoiding the bad ones. I personally have found that by focusing on fundamentals and being mindful during practise, the month or so after coming back from a break can be full of epiphanies and inspiration.
