SMART Practice Sessions

Welcome (back), everyone! We're off and running... 

The first blog of the school year often focuses on how to set meaningful goals (as described here and here). This summer, I was reading a new book called The Vocal Coach Approach: When Practice Makes Perfect by Susan Shiplett Ashbaker, and came across a chapter called "Setting and Achieving Daily Goals." I was excited to read it, thinking I might learn something new about setting goals that I could pass along to all of you. But, as I worked my way through the chapter, I realized that Ashbaker's points (which are excellent) weren't really revolutionary or all that new. We've known for a long time what effective strategies are for setting goals. We just have to take the time to review the principles, be thoughtful about setting meaningful goals, and then be diligent enough to follow through. 

Here is one of Ashbaker's suggestions: "Look at your calendar. Be specific about what time you will begin your practice each day of the week, and what time you plan to finish your practice. Too often, 'I'll practice later this afternoon,' ends poorly when, at 8:00 pm, you realize that you haven't yet practiced." Longtime members of the Manternach Teaching Experience should recognize this from the PRACTICE SCHEDULE section of our syllabus, which reads "Enter [your] practice times in your weekly calendar and treat them as you would a class or rehearsal. Do not allow them to become optional; make them part of your daily routine. Otherwise, it is too easy to put off your practice time or only do it when you feel like it. Art is creative, art is expressive, but practice is a discipline."

Ashbaker also reminds us: "If you write [your goals] down, you are more likely to hold yourself accountable...Keeping a practice journal is a good, tangible way to help keep you on track." This is also emphasized by author and professor Lynn Helding, who states that effective goals should be written down (not just kept in mind). Don't assume that you will remember what your goals are from day to day and week to week. Write them down so you can reference them at each practice session. 

Ashbaker also offers strategies for accountability in your practice routines. She writes, "If you have a close friend who is a singer, perhaps you can help hold each other accountable by sharing practice goals for the day as well as achievements." This strategy is backed up by a number of research studies. As I wrote earlier this year in an article for the Journal of Singing, "In clinical settings, patients who had a social support system were more likely to follow through with rehabilitation and health maintenance. Therefore, students may...make themselves accountable to someone (besides their teacher) who is invested in their progress. Perhaps it could be a friend or family member who has always encouraged their musical pursuits. Maybe other musicians with whom they collaborate could be recruited, given their mutual goal of making their shared performances as successful as possible. Maybe studiomates could pair off to be 'practice accountability buddies,' in order to check in with each other to make sure their partners are staying disciplined in their practice."

Lastly, Ashbaker provides a useful acronym to guide practice sessions: "Make your practice schedule SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely." You may ask yourself some targeted questions to see if your practice is SMART. 

Specific: Am I just mindlessly going through a bunch of vocal exercises and "running over" my music or do I have a goal in mind of what I'm trying to accomplish? 

Measurable: How will I know when I have made an improvement? What is the thing that I'm not able to do that I'm trying to do? 

Attainable: Is this goal something that is in my short-term achievable range or is it more of a long-term goal (your teacher can help you determine this)? 

Realistic: Am I comparing my singing to people on studio-produced Broadway cast recordings? Are my goals appropriate based on my current skill level? 

Timely: Am I working consistently on specific skills? Do I work on implementing new instruction right away? 

For this first blog of the school year, I'd like for you all to share a couple of goals you have for the semester. Then share a tactic you will use to hold yourself accountable to the practice that will lead you to your goals. 

Let's have a great year!

Now go practice.