Picture this: you’re away from home – maybe on a break at work or in between matches at a dodgeball tournament – and, like the good musician you are, have the intense urge to practise. Crazy, right??

But fear not; no matter where you are, if you’re separated from your dearly beloved, here are a few ways you can still get some valuable practice in.

At this point, you may be asking, “Did you write this to eliminate one more excuse for not practising while I was on vacation?” to which I reply:

But don’t let that detract from the tips below:

Active Listening

Whether you’re cramming for an upcoming gig or planning the next song you want to learn for fun, active listening can set you up for success.

Active listening involves listening (surprise!) to a piece of music and analyzing what you hear. By jotting down notes to capture the song’s form, any specific rhythms, and any interesting chord changes, you can then focus on the notes when you’re reunited with your instrument.

For a great example of active listening at work, check out the video below of the incredible Larnell Lewis playing a song shortly after hearing it for the first time.

Ear Training

There are two great ways to get some bonus ear training in if you’re away from your instrument.

The first is listening to a section of a song and attempting to write down the melody or chord changes. Even if you don’t know the key, you can label the chords using roman numeral analysis and figure out the key and specific chords when you check your work later.

The second (and more obnoxious) exercise is to download a free piano app on your phone, play any note and practice singing intervals, scales, and chords off of it. This is probably not going to be a fan favourite if you’re on the bus, so please exercise with caution.

I practise singing arpeggios when I’m alone in the car because I’m insane.

Wiggle Your Fingers

No guitar? No problem! I’m sure we’ve all spent countless hours playing air guitar (or trumpet), and this is just taking it one step further.

Sorry singers, you’re out of luck on this one.

For the rest of us, whether you play saxophone, bass, or drums (though you guys better keep it down!), you can work on internalizing specific fingerings or rhythms while listening to music. This exercise is obviously only going to succeed if you’re familiar with the song or passage you’re playing.

As a bonus, if you get really good, you can enter the Air Guitar World Championships!

So there you have it – the last excuse you had in your back pocket for not practising has vanished, and in its place, some solid tips to help you improve while on the move.

Do you have any instrument-free practice routines? Let me know in the comments!

Featured image: “Man playing epic air guitar at The Great GoogaMooga Festival” by WarmSleepy is licensed under CC BY 2.0.