Why not try some free software to help make your practice time more effective and efficient. Scroll down to the links.

Finale Performance Assessment

FPA is available as a free download from http://www.finalemusic.com . Woodwind, brass and keyboard students use FPA with special files made in Finale 2005 that allow them to practice difficult passages, exercises and other assignments from their teacher. (sample files are available to try. Even though it isn't specifically designed for vocalists they can benefit as well. There is even a chromatic tuner built in). With FPA, students can practice the music at any tempo, hear how it is supposed to be played and even be assessed with red and green notes which show them what they did wrong and how to correct it (including access to fingering charts by clicking on notes). Students can also record themselves for instant feedback and self-evaluation. The recordings can be saved to disc or e-mailed to teachers along with the grade FPA gave their performance.

This makes the home practice element of learning an instrument much less frustrating and far more efficient. It takes the doubt out of the practicing of the 'nuts and bolts' of a piece with ready reckoners for fingering and a truly unbiased constructively critical assessment of the students progress. With such a system monitoring the home practice, there is no need for as much time to be 'wasted' in the lessons with a real human teacher in simply correcting reading skills and far more time available to devote to polishing the human elements of expression. This is the enjoyable pay off, isn't it? Make your practice time the most efficient it can be so you can perform more effectively. Less frustration means more enjoyment.

FPA is 'powered' by the parent program SMARTMUSIC. As a parent program, SMARTMUSIC does all this and more. Through the softwares ability to 'listen' critically to the performance of the soloist it is able to provide an intelligent accompaniment. The best human accompaniment, be it from piano, a duet, combo, band or full orchestra is achieved through listening. SMARTMUSIC responds to the performance it hears by varying the tempo and allowing far more freedom in the interpretation from the soloist. It will even wait for cues! 

There are thousands of pieces of music already built into SMARTMUSIC (available in full by subscription) that cover all the popular tutor book series that are available today as well as pieces that cove the international lists for exam repertoire. You can even create your own accompaniments, as you would imagine, through the use of Finale 2005.

Many students are getting a headstart on their music through FPA. Even more of a headstart can be achieved through the use of more free software, as a musical appreciation companion...

Finale NotePad

Finale NotePad is also freely available for download from http://www.finalemusic.com . (Check to version number when sharing files with your teacher for conversion to FPA files.)

This software allows you to create, play back, edit, save and print out sheet music from your computer. It allows you to share music with people who use Finale or any other 'MakeMusic' notation program. Creating original music, assignments, or tests then print them or e-mail them to friends, students or colleagues has huge potential for furthering your musical enjoyment.

If you wish to get a real headstart, and enjoy more depth in your musical practice, why not use Finale NotePad to create a FPA file. All you need to do is swap the file you create with your school, or a teacher or musical friend that has Finale 2005 and they can convert it to a FPA file ready for you to use with the assessment features to help you get better much quicker!

By experiencing more music in a less frustrating fashion through the use of these, and other free software offerings practice will be a lot more fun. This will help make more of the lessons you do have with a real human teacher as well. Imagine how much more can be learned/experienced when lesson time isn't simply devoted to correcting reading errors or catching up on 'practice'... How much better would playing in a band be when its all about the musical connection and less about the note reading during a rehearsal…

Less frustration means more fun. Practice - Make it Fun.

Music Play for Life.