Setting a Schedule.
Learning to play a musical instrument well takes regular practise - this is pretty much a cliche I realize. But for many students and parents, the phrase “regular practise” is not very precise or helpful; what exactly does it mean, and how does it apply to students with different goals, levels of ability, and personality type? And the frustrating answer is “it’s different for everyone”! But I can at least offer a few guidelines.
Multiple short sessions vs. one long session? Definitely multiple short sessions. Don’t try to cram. Muscles need time to adapt, develop, and occasionally recover with a day off, and brains need time to digest and absorb information. A young beginner might practise for as little as 15 minutes a day, but do it 5 days a week. This can be expanded to 30 minutes a day, an hour, and much more, as the student gets older and progresses in both abilities and specific goals, but it’s the daily repetition that’s the key to success.
Regular vs. flexible timing? Some people thrive on having a regular, daily time to practise. Others prefer to fit practising in at different times, based on the rest of their schedule. Either approach will work fine - it’s more important that you follow rule #1 and get in a practise session on most days. Being organized can be helpful though, especially for more advanced students, or when preparing for important performances or auditions. For my own practising I create a schedule at the start of each week, based on my other obligations.
Should parents participate? I go into this subject in more detail here with some helpful tips, especially for parents without a musical background. The short answer is: sometimes, especially at the very beginning stages with younger students. Occasionally sitting in on a session with your child can help keep them on track, and help them begin to establish a routine. But they also need to go through practise sessions on their own in order to develop independent work habits; I find 1 or 2 sessions a week with a parent is often enough, although some personalities and learning styles require more hands on involvement.
What should I do during a practise session? That’s the subject of a whole post here!
