Practice You’ll Actually Love: Making February Practice Fun Again
- Taylor Fends
- Feb 12
- 3 min read
Let’s be honest: by the time February rolls around, the shiny new goals we set in January can start to feel a bit... dusty. The weather is gray, the initial "back to school" energy has faded, and your scales might feel more like a chore than a creative outlet.
At Musician’s Addition, we believe that if you don’t love your practice, you won’t stick with your practice. If you're stuck in a February practice slump, it’s time to stop grinding and start playing.
Here is how to inject some much-needed joy back into your sessions using two of our favorite digital tools.
1. Play with a Virtual Orchestra: The Tomplay Experience
One of the loneliest parts of being a musician is practicing in a vacuum. It’s hard to feel like a rockstar or a concert soloist when it’s just you and a clicking metronome.
Enter Tomplay. This isn't just another sheet music site; it’s an interactive sheet music app that changes the game.
Why We Love Tomplay for Practice
Instead of playing alone, Tomplay provides high-quality backing tracks recorded by professional musicians. Whether you’re a violinist, saxophonist, or pianist, you can play along with a full orchestra or a jazz trio.
Adaptive Tempo: If that Mozart concerto is too fast, you can slow the audio down without losing pitch.
Visual Cues: The sheet music scrolls automatically, helping you stay in the zone.
Recording Feature: You can record your performance and listen back—one of the fastest ways to improve.
Playing with a "real" band makes you forget you’re "practicing" and makes you feel like you’re performing.
2. Level Up Your Ears with Tonegym
If the thought of opening a theory textbook makes you want to take a nap, you need to try Tonegym.
Ear training and music theory are the "gym workouts" of the music world—essential but often boring. Tonegym turns these skills into a competitive game. It’s gamified music practice at its finest.
Gamifying Ear Training and Theory
Tonegym feels more like an arcade than a classroom. You can:
Compete in the "Ear Olympics": Test your interval and chord recognition against other musicians worldwide.
Track Your Progress: See your "musical fitness" improve with clear stats and levels.
Daily Workouts: Just 10 minutes a day keeps your ears sharp without the burnout.
When you treat your ear training like a game, you’ll find yourself sneaking in "practice" while waiting for the bus or drinking your morning coffee.
3. Practice with a Friend (Virtually) on Our YouTube Channel
Let’s face it: sometimes the hardest part of practicing is just sitting down and starting. It’s much easier to get moving when you feel like someone is in the room with you.
That’s why we’ve built the Musician’s Addition YouTube Channel. We’ve created "Practice With Me" sessions and play-alongs designed to make you feel like you’re practicing right alongside a friend.
Real-Time Motivation: No more staring at a blank wall. Hit play and follow our structured sessions.
Community Vibes: Check the comments to see other musicians tackling the same pieces and hurdles as you.
Play-Along Tracks: If you aren't ready for a full orchestra on Tomplay yet, our YouTube play-alongs are a great way to get your feet wet.
4. Change Your Environment
Sometimes, the best way to make music practice fun is to change where you do it. If you’ve been cooped up in the same corner of your room all winter:
Move the Stand: Even moving to a different room with better natural light can shift your mood.
The 10-Minute Rule: Tell yourself you’ll only practice for 10 minutes. Usually, once you start with a fun app like Tomplay, you’ll want to stay for an hour.
Perform for a "Ghost" Audience: Record a video of your favorite piece to share in the Musician’s Addition community. Having a "mini-goal" makes the daily work feel meaningful.
Conclusion: Practice You'll Love
February doesn't have to be the month where your progress stalls, now you can have a practice you'll love. By integrating tools like Tomplay and Tonegym, you turn the "work" of music into the "play" it was always meant to be.
Don't forget to keep track of your goals and progress!
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