3 Ways to Tell if Your Practicing is Making a Dent

In case you haven’t heard, I’m working on getting totally jacked this summer.

For the past two weeks, I’ve been lifting, running, and swimming. And though there’s still not much muscle to look at on my lanky-ass frame, I sure am hungry all the time, and my body is achy all over.

But I’m not complaining. In fact, the soreness that comes along with starting an intense exercise routine lets me know that all that hard work is indeed affecting my body.

Unfortunately, practicing music doesn’t provide the same kind of feedback.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Is this exercise actually making me a better musician, or am I wasting my time?

I know I have.

The problem is the work we do in the shed does not usually yield any noticeable results for weeks or months.

All you have to go on is faith that the instruction you got from your teacher (or that YouTube video or book) is pointing you in the right direction.

That’s a lot of blind trust to rely on when so much time and effort are on the line.

The good news is that there are some excellent ways to help measure your progress or lack thereof. Ways that can help you stay motivated and determine more quickly if what you’re practicing is making a difference in your playing:

1. Use a metronome.

The metronome and the tempo to which it’s set provides one of the clearest metrics with which to measure your progress. Even ear training exercises can be practiced with a click. Be creative!

Now, I’m not saying you need to keep the metronome on for an entire practice session, but do check in with it to see if you’re able to play whatever it is you’re working on faster than the day before.

2. Keep a practice journal.

It doesn’t need to be complicated. Write down what you’re practicing and include a few relevant details like what key you’re in, what pattern you’re playing, and, of course, what tempo you’re at!

Not only will a journal help you stick to a practice regimen or routine for a long period of time, but you’ll also have a dedicated notebook in which to record all that metronome data!

3. Record yourself.

I know it’s hard to listen back and hear all the faults in your playing. But we miss out on so much objectivity while trying to assess our playing in the moment.

Practicing without recording yourself is like getting ready in the bathroom without a mirror. Sure, it can be done, but you’re probably going to miss that eye gunk on the side of your face.

I’ve got a ton more strategies and techniques for optimizing your practice time. If you’re interested, you can hear all my words of wisdom in my course, Perfect Practice.

Honestly, it kills me when musicians spend hard-to-find practice time “spinning their wheels” in the shed. My goal is to help you get good in the shortest amount of time possible.

Perfect Practice is your ticket to the fast lane so you can start playing the kind of music you’ve always wanted to play.

Click here to enroll today.

Happy shedding,

Jeff