Summer Practice Challenge
The challenge
How many minutes of instrument practice can we collectively achieve over an 8 week period (from the 30th June to the 24th August)? Can we achieve 10,000 minutes? We’ll leave it to you decide on the details of your own contribution – for example, you may decide to aim for 15 minutes every day, or one or two longer sessions every week. It’s your choice. The aim is to reap the rewards of some consistent practice and finish the summer with some new or improved skills on your instrument, and maybe do a little good along the way too.
What counts as practice
We’re talking about scales, technical exercises, or focused practice on a particular issue, for example a tune that you’d like to be able to work on in detail. You can do you own thing, but if you’d like some inspiration, you can sign up for our weekly resource packs to keep you going. Each resource pack will focus on a different topic (see below) and will include a set of exercises and an mp3 for you to practice along to. Where it makes sense to do so, we’ll add some guitar accompaniment to make your practice sessions feel more musical!
Keeping track of practice time
When you sign up, you’ll receive a practice log that you can fill in as you go. We’ll also ask you to let us know how many minutes you have done so that we can keep a running total for the whole group. You can do this using the button at the top of this page.
Staying motivated
You are welcome to join our Facebook group, so that we can share progress, practice tips and encouragement. We’ll also run some optional zoom sessions where we can get together and practice (independently) at the same time. We’ll email details of these throughout the challenge.
Doing a little Good Along the Way
This bit is optional…we’re creating a Facebook Fundraiser for the challenge, and we’d be delighted if participants were to share it and ask their friends to sponsor them – but there’s no pressure to do that. We’ve chosen to do this in aid of Cullercoats Watch House, a local heritage building in Cullercoats currently raising funds for much needed restoration work. As well as preserving local heritage, this building is a welcoming community space and the home of our “Folk at the Watch House” concert series.
You’re welcome to set up your own fundraiser for the challenge instead, in aid of a charity of your own choosing..or indeed just join in for fun!
We like planting trees, so we’ll also plant a tree with Just One Tree for everyone who signs up to the challenge.
How to take part
There are three options to taking part:
- We like to keep things accessible, so if cost is a barrier, you are welcome to join in and log your practice hours for free.
- Sign up for £5. You will receieve a sample of our weekly resources, a practice log and we’ll plant a tree for you.
- Sign up for £20 and as well as planting a tree and providing you with a practice log, you will receieve a set of resources every week by email for the 8 weeks of the challenge. Each pack will include at least one workout pdf which will take approximately 12-15 minutes to complete. Each workout is accompanied by an mp3 recording which you can play along to. Where appropriate, we’ll add guitar accompaniment to make practice time feel more musical. Depending on the nature of the exercises, we may also provide the mp3 at different tempos.
Week 1 – G major and D major
Week 2 – Rhythm and groove 1
Week 3 – A major and E major
Week 4 – Rhythm and groove 2
Week 5 – Metronome and speed
Week 6 – F major and C major
Week 7 – Ornamentation
Week 8 – Tone