How to Develop Good Organ Practice Habits?

In order to learn any organ piece, regular practice is required. However, if you want to make some real progress in organ playing you need to develop good practice habits. Practicing sporadically or without a goal in mind will not get you very far. Every time you sit down on the organ bench, you have to practice correctly. Over time correct practice leads to correct practicing habits. In this article, I will teach you the several techniques which will help you to develop good organ practice habits.

Practice regularly. This is perhaps the most important suggestion. Many people fail to advance in organ playing because their practice is sporadic. They may practice for a few days or a week with initial excitement but later they find it hard to commit. Make your practice time constant and mark it in your calendar so that you will not forget it.
Have a specific goal in mind. If you have difficulty in committing to practice regularly, this point might help you. Setting short-term and long-term goals will allow you to have a vision of what it is you want to accomplish today, in a week, month, year or five years from now. Always think whether your current organ practice moves you closer to your goals.
Keep correct posture. Try to sit up straight on the organ bench. Remind yourself frequently to check on your posture. Do not slouch because this will be not good for your health. Practicing with incorrect posture will eventually lead to back problems. Relax your shoulders and breathe deeply. You have to force yourself to sit up straight at first. With time it will become easier because you will form a good habit.
Check your hand and feet position frequently. When you practice, ask yourself if your heels and knees are held together. Make sure you do not lift your fingers and feet from the keys. Keep them in contact with the keys at all times. If you insist on having a good hand and feet position, with time it will become habitual.
Practice in a slow tempo. They say that the fastest way to progress in organ playing is done through slow practice. Try to resist the temptation of playing at a concert tempo often, especially during the learning stage. Remember that practicing is very different from performing. There are special techniques which can help you to achieve a faster tempo, but majority of your practice should be done in a slow tempo.

Check these points when you play the organ. If you bear these suggestions in mind every time you practice organ playing, you will develop the right practice habits which in turn will lead to a solid technique. Because solid technique is the foundation of organist skills, you will have no trouble learning technically advanced organ music and your organ playing level may become quite high.

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