[Harp-L] Practice Makes Better -- Part 3

[Elizabeth Hess <TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Writing and Record Keeping

What kind of writing and/or record keeping has helped you move forward or has change what or how you practice?

A goal statement is one, and I see two ways to use it:  "How much do I have to practice to reach my goal?"  OR  "What is a realistic goal or set of goals, given how much time and energy I am willing or able to devote to practicing?"

There is a whole chapter about practicing in "The Listening Book" by W. A. Mathieu; one of his suggestions that I find interesting is to make a record of your actual work, "not as a policeman but as an anthropologist":  On a piece of graph paper, let the vertical axis be a list of projects, and let the horizontal axis represent days.  "Filling in a square means you have done a complete job (however you define it) on that project for that day.  You can fill in half a square, or shade it, or put a little dot there to show you thought about it.  After a month you see a reflection of your work in music.  It is a mirror that lets you see part of your life."

What else?

Thanks in advance,
Elizabeth H.  (aka "Tin Lizzie")