Music Practice Journal

The Importance of Daily Practice

Are you looking to take your practice routine to the next level?

When it comes to getting good at anything – especially an instrument – you need practice, and lots of it. Most experts say 10,000 hours or 10 years of daily, focused practice is what it takes to become world class.

Now, that's a lot of practice! Not only that, but the importance of daily practice is something that's easy to overlook. If you're a student learning an instrument and you've been cramming your practice all in the night before a lesson, you're missing out on the advantages of daily music practice.

In terms of getting better at a skill, consistent daily practice will beat out less consistent practice every day. Therefore, if you're looking to boost your skill, daily practice is key.

When to Practice

What time of the day should you practice?

Before we get to the ways you can track your practice, let's talk about one important factor: when to practice.

This can be a tricky question, and it's different for everyone. In terms of figuring this out, try to build your practice schedule around your energy level and attention span.

If you feel alert and focused in the morning before school, consider waking up 15 minutes earlier to practice! If you do homework right when you get home from school, consider adding your music practice to that routine.

The goal is to make your practice sessions a habit, and building a habit around what you already do is easier than building completely new habits from scratch.

Keeping Track of Your Practice Sessions

Why keep a practice journal?

Regardless of whether you use a pen-and-paper practice journal or a digital practice journal, I recommend having something to write down details about your practice sessions.

Keeping a practice journal gives you a physical reminder of what you're working on and helps you track your progress over time. It also forces you to be intentional about what you're practicing, rather than just noodling around aimlessly.

Music Practice Log

Simple time tracking for accountability

A basic practice log helps you track the amount of time you spend practicing each day. This is great for building the habit of daily practice and for students who need to report their practice time to a teacher or parent.

Download Music Practice Log PDF

Music Practice Journal

Detailed session tracking for serious musicians

A more detailed practice journal goes beyond just tracking time. It helps you set goals for each session, note what went well, identify areas for improvement, and plan for the next session.

Key elements of a detailed practice journal:

• Date and duration of the practice session
• Goals for the session (what did you want to accomplish?)
• What went well during the session
• What needs work (areas for improvement)
• Plan for next session (what will you focus on?)

Download Music Practice Journal PDF

Digital Music Practice Journals

Using technology to track your practice

If you prefer digital tools, there are many options available. One popular choice is Evernote, which allows you to create templates, add images, and sync across all your devices.

You can create your own practice journal template in Evernote or use one of the many templates available online. The advantage of a digital journal is that you can easily search through past entries, add audio recordings of your practice, and access your journal anywhere.

Piece Specific Practice Journal

Tracking progress on individual pieces

For more advanced students working on multiple pieces, a piece-specific practice journal can be incredibly helpful. This approach uses a binder or folder system where each piece you're working on has its own section.

For each piece, you can track:

• Date you started working on the piece
• Specific sections or measures that need work
• Tempo goals (current tempo vs. target tempo)
• Performance notes and interpretive ideas
• Date the piece was completed or performed

Download Piece Specific Practice Journal PDF

Tips for Practicing With A Journal

Making the most of your practice time

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your practice sessions:

1. Set specific, measurable goals for each practice session. Instead of "practice scales," try "play C major scale at 120 BPM with no mistakes."

1. Use a [metronome](/metronome) to track your tempo progress. Note your starting tempo and goal tempo for each passage.

1. Use a [tuner](/instrument-tuner) to check your intonation regularly, especially on long tones and slow passages.

1. Use a [tap tempo tool](/bpm) to figure out the tempo of recordings you're trying to match.

1. Warm up before practicing with long tones, scales, or simple exercises.

1. Practice difficult passages slowly first, then gradually increase the tempo.

1. Take breaks during long practice sessions. A 5-minute break every 25-30 minutes can help you stay focused.

1. Record yourself occasionally and listen back to identify areas for improvement.

1. Practice in small chunks rather than trying to learn large sections all at once.

1. End on a positive note by playing something you enjoy or something you play well.

1. Review your practice journal regularly to track your progress and identify patterns.

1. Be honest in your journal about what's working and what isn't.

1. Celebrate your progress – look back at where you started to see how far you've come!

1. Stay consistent – even 15 minutes of daily practice is better than one long session per week.