Practice Games
Wait...did he just put practice and games in the same sentence? Yep. Who said that practice has to be boring anyway?
Challenge yourself with these games. Or challenge a sibling, parent, or friend.
Challenge yourself with these games. Or challenge a sibling, parent, or friend.
The Rules:
Every game has the same basic rules.
1. Once you have beaten the game, your practice time is finished.
2. Your practice time is not finished until you beat the game.
So, on Monday your practice session may last for five minutes as you quickly breeze through the game and demolish your opponent. But on Tuesday it may take you twenty or thirty minutes to build up the strength to become the victor. But you have one goal: Beat the game, no matter how long it takes
These games assumes that you are working on small sections of your song, but can easily be adapted for the whole song. Each game is listed as solo (student plays alone) or partner (student needs someone to play with).
1. Once you have beaten the game, your practice time is finished.
2. Your practice time is not finished until you beat the game.
So, on Monday your practice session may last for five minutes as you quickly breeze through the game and demolish your opponent. But on Tuesday it may take you twenty or thirty minutes to build up the strength to become the victor. But you have one goal: Beat the game, no matter how long it takes
These games assumes that you are working on small sections of your song, but can easily be adapted for the whole song. Each game is listed as solo (student plays alone) or partner (student needs someone to play with).
The Imaginary Great Race: (solo or partner)
First the student picks an opponent. But, it's an imaginary opponent. This opponent could be a parent/sibling, Frank the Flying Wombat, me, or any other archenemy that they can imagine. Take a sheet of paper and draw your name on one side and your opponents name on the other. This is your score card. Your goal is to be the first person to reach 30 points.
This game uses dice. But, they're imaginary dice. For each turn the student 'rolls' the imaginary dice. If they play through a passage correctly they win the number of points. If they make any mistake, no matter how small, then their opponent gets the points. First person to 30 points wins!
Variations:
1. Use real dice.
2. Use a real opponent. Let them keep score.
3. Change the winning number: 50 points? 100 points?
This game uses dice. But, they're imaginary dice. For each turn the student 'rolls' the imaginary dice. If they play through a passage correctly they win the number of points. If they make any mistake, no matter how small, then their opponent gets the points. First person to 30 points wins!
Variations:
1. Use real dice.
2. Use a real opponent. Let them keep score.
3. Change the winning number: 50 points? 100 points?
Tic-Tac-Toe: (group)
Sometimes even the simplest game can really boost our practice. This is basic tic-tac-toe. If the student plays through a passage correctly, then they get to mark an X or O on the board. If they lose then their opponent (parents, sibling, friend) gets to mark an X or O on the board. Student must win two rounds of Tic Tac Toe to beat this challenge!
The Ledger System: (solo)
Your goal here is to play through a section more times correctly than incorrectly. Sounds simple right? It can really be a challenge! Grab a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. On one side write or draw CORRECT, or RIGHT, or a check, or a smiley face, or anything that is good and happy. On the other side write or draw INCORRECT, or WRONG, or an X, or a sad face, or anything that reminds you that you played it incorrectly.
You need to play through your section 12 times (If it is a very long section or you or attempting to play the entire piece you can use a smaller number, like 6 or 8). Each time you play it correctly mark it down in the CORRECT column. Each time you make a mistake (no matter how small!) mark it down in the INCORRECT column. Your goal is to have more checks in the CORRECT column that INCORRECT column. If you don't get it the first time, try again!
This game is also great for percentages so you can see how you may do in a recital or in your lesson. Let's say that you beat the game with 8 correct attempts and 4 incorrect attempts. Great! Now let's let at what this means. You have played it correctly 8 out of 12 times. Or to simplify, you played correctly 3 out of 4 times (somewhere my math teacher is proud). Is that good enough? Do you want to chance the night of your recital being the one time out of four that you play it incorrectly? Better play again and improve those odds! Can you get a higher score today than you did yesterday?
You need to play through your section 12 times (If it is a very long section or you or attempting to play the entire piece you can use a smaller number, like 6 or 8). Each time you play it correctly mark it down in the CORRECT column. Each time you make a mistake (no matter how small!) mark it down in the INCORRECT column. Your goal is to have more checks in the CORRECT column that INCORRECT column. If you don't get it the first time, try again!
This game is also great for percentages so you can see how you may do in a recital or in your lesson. Let's say that you beat the game with 8 correct attempts and 4 incorrect attempts. Great! Now let's let at what this means. You have played it correctly 8 out of 12 times. Or to simplify, you played correctly 3 out of 4 times (somewhere my math teacher is proud). Is that good enough? Do you want to chance the night of your recital being the one time out of four that you play it incorrectly? Better play again and improve those odds! Can you get a higher score today than you did yesterday?
Seven Stages of Misery (solo)
Only to be attempted by the bravest students.
Take a sheet of paper and mark off 8 sections. Label these sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and HOME. Grab something that you can use as a game-piece. It could be a coin, guitar pick, candy, or any small item. Start with your game piece on Square 1. Play through your section. If you play correctly (NO mistakes, ZERO) then move to Square 2. Play the section again. If you play correctly, move to Square 3. If you make a mistake go back to Square 1. Your goal is to move your piece all the way to the home square. You may find that it takes you 20 minutes to get up to Square 7 and 20 seconds to mess up six times and be back at Square 1. This game requires absolute concentration. If you can beat this game then you know that you have a great grasp on the section.
Take a sheet of paper and mark off 8 sections. Label these sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and HOME. Grab something that you can use as a game-piece. It could be a coin, guitar pick, candy, or any small item. Start with your game piece on Square 1. Play through your section. If you play correctly (NO mistakes, ZERO) then move to Square 2. Play the section again. If you play correctly, move to Square 3. If you make a mistake go back to Square 1. Your goal is to move your piece all the way to the home square. You may find that it takes you 20 minutes to get up to Square 7 and 20 seconds to mess up six times and be back at Square 1. This game requires absolute concentration. If you can beat this game then you know that you have a great grasp on the section.
The Quota System (solo)
For this game you are allowed to make mistakes. But, you cannot make the same mistake twice and you must make less mistakes every time you play through the section. Set a time limit for this challenge, say, 5 minutes. At the end of 5 minutes, if you have successfully played the section with fewer mistakes than your previous attempt, you win! If not, try again.
Card Game 1 (solo)
Take a normal deck of playing cards. Shuffle it and then flip up the first four cards. Your goal is to beat this stack of cards. If you play your section correctly you get a card. If you play incorrectly, add it to the original four cards. So a series of incorrect attempts can add up to a really high number to beat! Keep playing until the cards in your stack are worth more than the cards in the opposing stack.
Card Values
Number Cards: Face Value of Card (4 is 4 points, 7 is 7 points, etc.)
Face Cards (Jack, Queen, King): 10 points
ACE: 15 points
Card Values
Number Cards: Face Value of Card (4 is 4 points, 7 is 7 points, etc.)
Face Cards (Jack, Queen, King): 10 points
ACE: 15 points
Card Game 2 (solo)
This game is similar to the previous card game. Take a normal deck of cards, shuffle it, and turn up the first four cards. However, your goal in this game is to eliminate cards from the first pile by providing cards with an equal number, whether it be single cards or combinations. If you play your section correctly you get a card. If you play incorrectly, add it to the original four cards.
The same values from the previous game apply (also listed below), so if there is a King in the opposing deck (10 points) it could be eliminated with any 10 or face card or a combination of two cards (7 and 3, 5 and 5, 8 and 2, etc). To eliminate a card from the opposing deck the number must be an exact match. So if there is a 4 in the opposing deck, you cannot eliminate it with a 7, 8, 10, or King even though these are all worth more. It can only be beaten with a 4 (or two 2s). You win when you have successfully eliminated all cards from the previous stack.
Card Values
Number Cards: Face Value of Card (4 is 4 points, 7 is 7 points, etc.)
Face Cards (Jack, Queen, King): 10 points
ACE: 15 points
The same values from the previous game apply (also listed below), so if there is a King in the opposing deck (10 points) it could be eliminated with any 10 or face card or a combination of two cards (7 and 3, 5 and 5, 8 and 2, etc). To eliminate a card from the opposing deck the number must be an exact match. So if there is a 4 in the opposing deck, you cannot eliminate it with a 7, 8, 10, or King even though these are all worth more. It can only be beaten with a 4 (or two 2s). You win when you have successfully eliminated all cards from the previous stack.
Card Values
Number Cards: Face Value of Card (4 is 4 points, 7 is 7 points, etc.)
Face Cards (Jack, Queen, King): 10 points
ACE: 15 points
Hangman (partner)
This is the classic game of hangman...with a twist. Every time that you play a section correctly your opponent must tell you a letter in the word. Point to any blank in the word and they must tell you that letter. If that letter appears anywhere else in the word they must fill in that letter also. However, if you play through a section incorrectly you must guess a letter. If guessed correctly, your opponent fills in the blank. If guessed incorrectly then start drawing the hangman. The twist is that there are only four incorrect guesses in this game of hangman (draw a head, torso, arms, and legs). The student is NEVER allowed to guess the word. Even if he knows what it is, he must play the game and guess one letter at a time.
Variations:
1. Let the student decide on the word and the opponent must guess it. Flip all rules accordingly.
2. Opponent can pick a longer or shorter word to vary difficulty.
Variations:
1. Let the student decide on the word and the opponent must guess it. Flip all rules accordingly.
2. Opponent can pick a longer or shorter word to vary difficulty.
20 minute consequence (solo or partner)
Student gets ONE attempt to play the section. If it is perfect, he is done with practice for the day. If there is even one small mistake, he must pay the consequence: 20 minutes of practice on the spot. This is a great game for parents to challenge students with throughout the week. It can be a way to earn a day off of practice.
** Note: Many of these games are adapted and/or stolen from Phillip Johston's EXCELLENT book, The Practice Revolution. **