How to set up a practice space at home

A good practice space is a spot where the instrument is out and ready, the seat and the stand are the right height, and the things a child needs are within reach. It does not need its own room. A corner of the living room works well for a young child, who often practices better near the family than alone down a hall.

The short list

• The instrument, out of its case and ready to play
• A seat at the right height, with the feet supported
• A music stand at eye level
• Good light on the page
• A pencil, a practice chart, and a timer
• No screen in sight, apart from a metronome or a tuner

Where to put it

For a child under eight: near the family. A young child needs an adult at practice. A corner of the living room or the dining room keeps the adult close.

For an older child: a quieter spot. A bedroom or a spare room gives an older student room to repeat a hard bar without an audience.

Out of the way of traffic. People who walk past break a child’s focus.

Away from the television. A screen that is on in the same room pulls a child’s eyes away.

Keep the instrument out

An instrument in a closed case in a closet is easy to forget. An instrument on a stand is more likely to be picked up.

• Violin and viola. A wall hanger or a stand, out of reach of smaller children.
• Cello. A cello stand in a corner.
• Guitar and ukulele. A floor stand or a wall hanger.
• Flute, clarinet, and trumpet. A stand made for the instrument. Wind instruments still go back in the case at the end of the day, after they are dried.
• Piano. Keep the lid open and the music on the rack.

The seat

At the piano. With the hands on the keys, the forearms are level with the floor. Raise the seat with a firm cushion if they slope up. The feet rest flat on a footstool or a box if they do not reach the floor.

For string and wind players. Use a firm chair with no arms. The child sits toward the front of the seat, with both feet flat. Cellists need a chair that puts the knees level with the hips, or a little lower.

Standing. Many violinists and wind players practice on their feet. Mark a spot on the floor.

The music stand

A music stand is worth having for every instrument but the piano. Music that lies flat on a bed or a table pulls the head down and bends the back.

• Set the top of the page at eye level.
• For a standing violinist, raise the stand so that the scroll of the violin stays up.
• A solid stand holds heavy books better than a folding one.

Light

A lamp that shines on the page from above or from the side cuts shadows. Daylight is fine. A dim room makes a child lean in.

What to keep within reach

Item	Why
A pencil	To circle the hard spots
The teacher’s notes	So that practice follows the plan
A practice chart	To mark each day
A timer	For short, clear tasks
A metronome	For a steady beat
A tuner	For string and wind players
A mirror	To check posture and bow hold
A box for small things	Rosin, reeds, valve oil, and a cloth

Try the metronome for kids and the practice chart maker.

Caring for a piano’s place

• Keep an acoustic piano away from heaters, vents, and direct sun.
• An inside wall is kinder to a piano than an outside one.
• Big swings in damp and dry air put a piano out of tune.
• A digital piano is not affected, and it can be played with headphones.

Read piano or keyboard for a beginner.

Handling the noise

• Close a door. A closed door cuts a good deal of sound.
• Add soft things. A rug, curtains, and a full bookshelf soak up sound.
• Use a mute. String players can use a practice mute. Brass players can too.
• Use headphones. Digital pianos and electronic drum kits have a headphone jack.
• Agree on hours. Tell the family and the neighbors when practice happens.

Read how to practice violin quietly in an apartment.

Make it the child’s own

• Let your child choose where the stand goes and what hangs on the wall.
• Put up a practice chart and a picture of a favorite player or composer.
• Keep a small shelf for music books, so that they do not pile up.

A space is half of it

The other half is a set time. Practice that happens at the same time each day, in the same place, turns into a habit.

Read how to get kids to practice without a fight and how long kids should practice each day.

Things to do together

Set it up. Build the space with your child in one afternoon. Let them test the seat and the stand.

Height check. Take a photo of your child at the instrument from the side. Look at the back, the arms, and the feet.

Five-minute tidy. At the end of each week, put the books back, sharpen the pencil, and wipe the instrument.

Name the corner. Give the space a name and make a sign for it.

Print and play

Hang a weekly practice chart or a 30-day practice chart at your child’s eye level. Bring a lesson notes page to each lesson. Read practice games for young music students.