Are You Doing Healthy Practice?

By Anne Sullivan 

What is “healthy” practice?

Healthy practice isn't about eating right and exercising, although those are important. Healthy practice is practice that is fun, creative, satisfying and sustainable, in addition to helping your harp playing and musicianship grow. If you don’t look forward to your practice every day, that’s a sign that you need a healthy practice boost. Try one of these quick tips below.

Tip #1: Relax!

Healthy practice begins with relaxation. If you’re holding tension in your body or your mind, you won’t be open to the change and growth that you want. Your hands, shoulders, back and face should be relaxed. Your mind should be calm and focused. Gritting your teeth, literally or figuratively, to get through your practice won’t help you play any better.

You can use visualization or breathing exercises to relax your mind and muscles as you practice. Try focusing on your tone or on the expression of a piece, rather than just the technical difficulties. You can even use your technique warm-up to remind your fingers to relax.

Tip #2: Be an Observer, Not a Critic

Be kind to yourself. Negative self-talk or harsh self-criticism will sabotage your practice and your playing. You want to simply correct your mistakes, not beat yourself up for them. A mistake is only a mistake, not a reflection on you or your ability.

One way to start being an observer instead of a critic is to act like your teacher would. A teacher would never be frustrated with you for a mistake; she would just ask you to play it again. That’s what healthy practicers do; they coach themselves. Rather than slipping into negative “can’t do” language, they look for solutions.

Tip #3: Make Practice Fun

Who says practice has to be only about proper technique and fingering? Practice shouldn’t only be about the hard work; it must satisfy your creative and playful side too. And mixing things up a bit in your practice isn’t only good for your soul. It will make you a better harpist, too.

Have a different warm-up for each day of the week. Or vary the tempo and key. Switch up the pedals or levers to keep those scales or exercises from sounding boring. Play your arpeggios with a Latin beat. What would make your practice fun today?