PIANO PRACTICE TIMETABLE - 1 HOUR SAMPLE

As teachers we know that creating a Piano Practice Timetable helps students stay organized and make the most of their practice sessions.

Typically teachers would write down the homework to be done on the student's notebook, which tells the student a list of activities to work on for the week.

The Piano Practice Timetable I have given is to break those activities for students into a 1 hour practice session.

Of course it may not possible to practice all everyday, so having a timetable that the student can check off from definitely helps make sure that practices are efficient.

Also assigning a specific amount of time to each activity also helps to make sure that balance is maintained.

These should be customized to suit schedule and goals of the Teacher and Student

1. WARM UP (10 minutes):

• Start with finger exercises and scales to warm up your hands and improve dexterity.

• If there is any new Scale/Arpeggio that needs work, start from there

• Practice with metronome at a reasonable and even tempo

2. READ PREVIOUS LESSON'S HOMEWORK AND PRACTICE SESSION GOALS (1 minute):

• Open Homework Notebook and check what needs to be worked on

• From previous Practice session, read notes on Specific Practice Goals

• This helps prioritize and maximize the quality of practice

3. REPERTOIRE (25 minutes):

• Allocate the majority of the practice time to this section.

• Read what Homework was assigned and what areas need to be improved

• Break down challenging sections, practice hands separately, and gradually put them together.

• Work on small units at a time

• Focus on what the teacher has said needs to be improved in the previous lesson

• Quality of Practice is important

4. SIGHT READING (7 minutes):

• Take a short unfamiliar passage and work on it

• Work out the Time Signature and Rhythms before moving to Key Signature and Pitch

• Practice to keep a steady pulse with Metronome

• Just play once or twice but do not memorize the extract

5. AURAL WORK (5 minutes):

• Practice exercises like identifying intervals, chord progressions.

• Use ear-training apps or online resources.

6. IMPROVISATION / PLAY BY EAR / THEORY (10 minutes):

• Use this time to practice something fun - maybe learn a song from youtube, or work on some Improv Activity, etc.

• If student is working on a Theory Exam, this can be the time spent on that

7. REVIEW AND SET GOALS (3 minutes):

• Take a moment to reflect on the practice session.

• Note down areas of improvement and set goals for the next session.

Remember, the suggested time allocations are approximate, and these should be adjusted based on individual needs and schedule.

It's also important to take regular breaks during longer practice sessions to avoid fatigue and maintain focus. Consistency and regularity in practicing are key, so aim for daily practice sessions and gradually increase the duration as you progress.