All Practice articles
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FocusDouble bass beginners should play in all left-hand positions
Thomas Martin pinpoints some common technical problems for young bassists and insists that beginners shouldn't be restricted to playing in the lower positions. From the May 2014 issue
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Focus
7 techniques to combat stage fright
How often has a potential performance of a lifetime turned into a performance from hell? Are you suffering from stage fright? Laurinel Owen gives advice on overcoming this common affliction
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Focus
10 tips on maximising tone quality & projection
From the archives: advice on projecting your best sound from over 120 years of The Strad
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Focus
6 tips for teaching young violinists by Suzuki instructor Teri Einfeldt
The University of Hartford Suzuki Department chair shares her methods for teaching children
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Blogs
5 pieces of advice for playing Bach by violinist Lisa Batiashvili
The artist shares her ideas about performing works of the great Baroque composer
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Blogs
Top tips for putting the joy into practice
Violinist Maren Bosma offers seven helpful tips to make practice sessions fun, varied and productive
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Blogs
Varying my warm-up routine is essential for performing success, says violinist Natalia Lomeiko
The multiple prize winner and Royal College of Music professor has found numerous ways to warm up for concert performances
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Focus
7 warming up and cooling down exercises for musicians
Suggested warm-ups prior to playing and cool-down stretches following performance and/or practice
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Focus
Violinist Elena Urioste on why a thorough warm-up regimen is a necessity for good practice
The US violinist explains why warming up is an essential part of a day's practice
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Focus
Four alternative methods to make sure your practice efforts survive the pressures of performance
A violist with a background in neuroscience, Molly Gebrian shares some alternative practice methods informed by studies on how our brain processes learning
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Blogs
Never practise for more than five hours per day, says violinist Itzhak Perlman
Marking the violinist's 75th birthday, we republish this feature from our archive in which Perlman warns against the dangers of over-practising
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Focus
String players should bow with individual fingers rather than the whole hand
Awareness of the movement of each right-hand finger is one of the great secrets of bowing, writes Rok Klopčič
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Focus
How to develop secure intonation, by cellist Maria Kliegel
The German recording artist and former Rostropovich Cello Competition winner explains how developing accurate intonation gives security and confidence to her playing
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Focus
7 ways to harness mental practice for musicians
Tips for using mental imaging to boost your musical practice regime from The Strad’s archive
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Focus
7 views on repetitive practice
Is repetition the most effective mode of practice? Debate from The Strad Archive
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Debate
Opinion: In the Public Eye
The primary purpose of a musician is to be heard by an audience – yet so many performers are self-conscious about the idea of their practice being observed and judged. Perhaps it’s time to practise out in the open, writes Toby Deller
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Focus
How important is happiness for effective practising?
Adopting a positive mindset helps to prime you for learning, writes musician and performance psychology expert Christine Carter
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Premium ❘ Feature
How to play with a flexible bowing arm by cellist Gary Hoffman
The American musician explains how he developed a supple and varied bow arm motion, guided by his ear and musical instinct
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Premium ❘ Feature
Is repetitive practice a good or a bad thing?
A prolonged, sickening and monotonous repetition of a section of music or the legitimate means of mastering a difficult passage? Joseph O'Doherty weighs up the two sides.
