Technology Makes Music Practice Room More Enjoyable

Many of today’s older musicians recall when a well-appointed practice room had a Seth Thomas mechanical metronome and an in-tune upright piano. The opportunity to wind-up the Thomas, set the weight at the desired tempo, and work on playing that challenging section to match the steady tick-tick-tick was why you used your study hall or time after school to practice.

Having the solid black Baldwin in the practice room let you check your tuning, play some intervals to improve your ear training, and, when the teacher was out of hearing range, play your version of the latest top-40 rock and roll tune. Besides your abilities and imagination, the piano and metronome were all you needed besides your voice or instrument.

A well-appointed practice room looks a great deal different these days. The piano has been replaced with an electronic keyboard – smaller, less expensive, but much more capable than the wood and brass Baldwin. The metronome is no longer needed as student musicians have several versions in apps on their phones.

The room is likely a bit bigger and soundproofed, or at least quieter outside, but basically the same. The big change is the addition of a computer and possibly some speakers. Small to match the size of the room, but unlimited in the ability to enhance the student’s practice time, this use of music technology has turned the simplest practice room into a rehearsal hall, performance space and recording studio.

Practicing has never been the most enjoyable part of being a musician, but with the technology that most practice rooms offer now, it is far from playing alone to the metronome’s sound. Playing with someone is always more fun and the computer can provide a wide variety of fellow musicians. From the piano accompaniment to the all-state audition piece to a jazz combo with which to jam through some of the standards and improve improvisation, the library of music to play along with is seemingly endless. Anything from the computer’s built-in speakers to the student’s phone to a single or pair of powered studio speakers can play back what the software shares.

There are many Music-Minus-One (recordings without the melody or solo) so that students with any musical taste can practice their favorites or required tunes. The programs often allow the accompaniment to be slowed down so students can master their parts easily or can raise or lower the key so that beginners with limited skills can try that latest pop tune. By providing an accompaniment that can be adjusted and endlessly repeated, stopped and restarted, student mastery of parts becomes more obtainable.

Software is also available that can record a student’s performance and provide the opportunity to review in real time and make the necessary corrections. Most computers come with a built-in microphone, but a pair of stereo mics on a stand can be easily added to the system. Such recordings can be the student only or include the accompaniment provided. And as a digital file, the recordings can be shared with the teacher as part of an assignment or review, stored to track development and improvement, or sent to family who might not be able to attend performances. There are dozens of online platforms that a school music program can use to track student progress through their submitted recordings, everything from scales to etudes to accompanied performances.

A single student could also record different tracks of the same piece and practice playing in a duet with themselves or even playing multiple instruments and being a one-man-band. Students who cannot find a common time to practice together can record their part for others to then use and return, sending improved recordings back and forth as their skills and abilities improve. The technology can also analyze what is being played and provide visual and aural feedback, everything from printing out the music to comparing it to the original and noting errors in rhythm, pitch and intonation.

The electronic piano, while serving as a practice instrument for pianist and accompaniment when needed, can also work with the computer in several ways to enhance the practice time. Through the use of various connections between the two, the piano can turn music on the computer into sound and often sounds that match the instrument intended, not just piano.

Composition software on the computer can use the piano for not only output, playing what the student composed, but can serve as an input device for their creativity, turning keyboard use into notes on a staff. The transposition capabilities of an electronic keyboard not only allow music to be performed in one key, but sound in another, but let the accompaniment better match the voice range and comfort level of a vocalist.

While practicing is still not as enjoyable as performing, the addition of technology to a practice room can not only make the time spent there more fun, but more productive. Any addition, from a simple electronic keyboard, to a computer, to a full set of microphones and speakers, will do the trick. And as the system gets more and more student use, the possibilities they will find and develop will reach well beyond the initial intent or purpose. There are endless opportunities for students to practice, perfect and perform within the confines of the small practice room down the hall.