The Art & Technique of Practice
by Richard Provost
List Price:
Our Price: $9.15
You Save: $5.80 (39%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $8.49 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Richard ProvostEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1992-04-01
ISBN: 096278320X
Number of pages: 56
Publisher: Music Sales America
Book Reviews of The Art & Technique of Practice
Book Review: Good Basic Information
Summary: 4 Stars
Provost's take on practice is simple and easily digested. Lots of white space on the 56 pages, and that's a good thing, especially if you're starting out. The book is an excellent primer for those new to practice and contains a wealth of basic information. The book's got 6 chapters:
General Guidelines: Goals, Productivity Techniques, Scheduling, Practice (7 pages)
Preparation & Technique (2 pages)
Memorization & Visualization (9 pages)
Note-Reading and Interpretive Practice (3 pages)
Probelm-Solving & Repertoire Maintenance (3 pages)
Developing Reading and Listening Skills (7 pages)
Appendices: Practice Schedules, Practice Outline, Bibliography, About the Author (8 pages)
In general, because Provost is a classical guitarist, this is where his practice approach is coming from. Nothing wrong with that, of course, because there are basic skills like planning, goal-setting, assessment, and maintenance that are part of any practice, whether it's music (say, hang drum), or curling, or chess. A very tiny bit of the material is specific to the guitar (or other string instruments) in that it talks of hand positions. Otherwise all the information is perfectly adaptable to any instrument or voice. Or curling. :-)
Especially useful are the bibliography (tho it's a little outdated since the book came out 18 years ago), and the Practice Outline in the book's Appendix. The practice outline is a great thing to stick in your case or on the wall of your practice room to remind you of all the great information in the book. In fact, I think I'll tear my pages out right now and do just that so I think about these things while I compose my own take on these ideas.
At a little over $11, this is a great and inexpensive way to get a little jolt of solid practice tips under your belt, or give that jolt to a musician you know who could use the structure. For people who have been playing and practicing for a while, however, most of this information will not be all that revelatory, though I was glad to be reminded of all this information when I read it. In fact, after reading it again, I've resolved to make goal-setting more explicit and frequent in my own practice. It's a great little book. Get one.
The next book review I'll do, as soon as I finish the book, is on a great new title by Gerald Klickstein (another guitarist), called The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness. It's a much more comprehensive book, though still focused on Western classical music. Stay tuned. The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness
Have fun and good luck with your practice.
If you're interested, check out my books:
Basic Music Theory: How to Read, Write, and Understand Written Music (Volume 2)
Sound the Trumpet: How to Blow Your Own Horn
Summary of The Art & Technique of Practice
Instrumentalists will find all they ever wanted to know about how to practice efficiently and effectively. This book outlines the many aspects of practice, such as repertoire maintenance, note-reading, and technique.Instruments & Performers Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Instruments & Performers Books
Instrument of Worship Volume OneBenson Records; Paperback; Book
Season of Peace: GuitarGIA Publications; Published: 1993-06; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Amazing Love: PianoGenevox Music Group; Published: 1994-07; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Majestic Trumpet Trios Christmas: Volume 2Majestic Music Publications; Published: 1996-09; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Majestic Brass Quartets: Volume OneMajestic Music Publications; Published: 1996-03; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
101 Ways to Evangelize: 88 KeysIntrada Music; Paperback; Book
Keyboard Duets for Organ & PianoHope Publishing Company (IL); Paperback; Book
Glory Forever: Medium RangeAlexandria House; Paperback; Book
Glory Forever: Full RangeAlexandria House; Published: 1991-03; Paperback; Book
Price in other shops:
Beethoven`s Piano Sonatas: A Short Companionby Dr. Charles Rosen, Charles Rosen
Yale University Press; Published: 2001-11-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $26.73
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Mel Bay presents Art of Tremoloby Ioannis Anastassakis
Mel Bay Publications, Inc.; Published: 2008-02-22; Sheet music; Book
Best price: $11.99
Price in other shops:
Classic Guitar Technique, Vol 1 (Book & CD) (Shearer Series)by Alfred Publishing Staff
Alfred; Alfred Publishing; Published: 2009-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.62
Price in other shops:
Sight Reading for the Classical Guitar, Level I-III"by Robert Benedict
Alfred Publishing; Alfred Pub Co; Published: 1985-03-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.57
Price in other shops:
Classical Guitarists: ConversationsMcfarland & Co Inc Pub; Published: 2000-10; Paperback; Book
Best price: $39.95
Kitharologus: The Path to Virtuosityby Ricardo Iznaola
Mel Bay Publications, Inc.; Published: 1997-01-01; Spiral-bound; Book
Best price: $17.51
Price in other shops:
Art and Technique Of Performanceby Richard Provost
Music Sales America; Published: 1995-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.65
Price in other shops:
Mel Bay Learning the Classic Guitar: Part 1by Aaron Shearer
Mel Bay Publications, Inc.; Published: 1990-11-01; Spiral-bound; Book
Best price: $9.74
Price in other shops:
Mel Bay Ricardo Iznaola on Practicing: A Manual for Students of Guitar Performanceby Ricardo Iznaola
Mel Bay Publications, Inc.; Published: 2001-01-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.95
Price in other shops:
The Art of Practicing: A Guide to Making Music from the Heartby Madeline Bruser
Three Rivers Press; Published: 1999-02-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.22
Price in other shops:
The Musician's Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellnessby Gerald Klickstein
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2009-09-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $17.71
Price in other shops: