For example, a band director may compliment brass students on their music-reading skills or their knowledge of fingerings or slide positions, but the director should also go on to discuss techniques to open up their sound. Once the teacher and students have done their jobs successfully during the lesson, the teacher might again be tempted simply to tell them, Go home and practice. Band directors should not assume that repeating an exercise a hundred times is learning. The difference between practice and mere repetition is often forgotten. Therefore, use of the following three basic practice techniques might help make for more efficient use of practice time.
Retention is facilitated by review, which has a consolidating effect.
It reduces the rapid rate of forgetting that occurs immediately after new concepts are taught. During the early stages of review, attention to detail is imperative in order to avoid mistakes. It is essential that the student and teacher listen carefully and make periodic observations. The most effective kind of review is that which puts material previously learned to some actual use. Try using familiar tunes, simple duets or segments of band music to establish cognitive or psychomotor skills.