Whether you're working towards auditions, live performances or recording then the time you spend outside of your lessons, practicing and repeating what you worked on, is so important in order to make progress.

The ticket to improvement is really in repeating what you did in your last lesson with your teacher. So this is where the lesson recording comes in handy.

What to do with your lesson recording:

1) Listen through the lesson recording and take notes ( example: coaching feedback, corrections on vowels, goal setting etc.) You'll only need to do this at the start of your week. The purpose of this is to actively listen to get a sense of what your goals may be for that week.

2) Listen through the recording and sing along with the exercises.  Repeat this 3-4 times per week (spread out throughout the week) until your next lesson. You don't need to come up with your own exercises or accompany yourself. Simply hit 'play' and sing.

Keep in mind:  whether or not you sound good isn't important, focus on how it feels, (do you feel or hear any improvement? What feels different? What feels the same?) take practice notes or jot down any questions or comments until your next coaching session.

What to do if you haven't practiced your recording in a while:

-It's ok, just get right back to it.  Don't worry about how much time has passed.  'All or nothing' thinking won't help here.

-Studies show, shorter practices are more productive.  So schedule in 15-30 minute practice sessions into your schedule. Set reminders and be sure to stay consistent each week aiming for 3-4 sessions.

-Don't let self-doubt or negative thoughts deter you away from practice. Stay optimistic, even when it feels like you're not getting anywhere. If you feel stuck, it may be time to check back in with your instructor and hit the 'reset' button.

Oh one more thing, there is a misunderstanding that we need to feel motivated to practice, and that’s simply not true. You don't need to feel motivated. You just have to start. Remember, motivation comes from taking action.  So press ‘play’ and sing! Once you get started you're most likely going to feel that energy that will lead you to that sense of 'motivation'.

You got this!