Practice Hack to Build Better Transitions

Most musicians know that it’s not about how long you practice, but how well you practice. (quality over quantity!)

Most musicians also know that it’s important to break pieces down into smaller section to gradually loop together.

However, something I’m not sure most musicians know (or actively incorporate into their practice sessions) is effectively looping sections together.

Enter one of my favorite simple practice hacks.

When you are practicing a section of music, always end on the next downbeat.

The problem with not looping to the next downbeat – Many musicians end on the last note of the measure or section they’re practicing. This overemphasizes weaker parts of the beat and measure, and it can cause rhythmic delays and emphasis on these notes. Lingering on these last notes of measures/sections creates awkward pauses and uneven transitions between measures and sections.

The solution – Loop it! This means that when you’re practicing, always add the next downbeat, which will act as musical “glue” to help you create a smoother transition between measures and sections.

Here’s a musical example to demonstrate this:

In this example, let’s pretend I was focused on the first measure. Instead of ending on the last note of the measure (D), I should end on the G shown under the purple arrow. This will create a smoother transition both technically and rhythmically.

One final reminder – repetition is key to musical success! Practice each section slowly as you gradually increase the tempo.

So, there you have it – a simple practice hack to build better transitions!

Happy practicing!