rob's practice room

every week, you go take a lesson with your teacher. you learn a ton of stuff, and then you leave. your lesson is filled with answers and optimism...

...but then you leave.

and when you leave your lesson and go to the practice room, you’re by yourself. you’re alone. you have nothing and no one to guide you.

we’ve all been there.

we’ve all had to practice alone and face our problems head on. you deal with a seemingly endless avalanche of issues with chops, musicality, rhythm, and time management. and your entire future life is on the line. (well, at least it feels that way.)

and all of this could be solved by just having more information. “i wonder how the principal of the LA philharmonic practices this excerpt?” or “what if there was a way to find out how players in the top 10 american orchestras got over their nerves for auditions?”

but in the practice room, there’s no coach. there’s no siri to ask what sticking the professionals use on porgy and bess. it’s just you and your instrument.

that’s all bullshit, if you ask me. we have the internet now.

so my mission is to provide YOU with exactly that: an invitation to step inside my practice room (aka new youtube channel) so i can share with you my very best strategies for practicing and improving at your instrument.

welcome to my new youtube channel: rob’s practice room.

every week i’ll release a new video (fingers crossed) about a different topic. i’ll lay out my very best strategies that i learned throughout my decade-or-so of practicing and preparing for auditions. for instance, i’m going to cover things like:

  • how to use the metronome to develop super solid rhythm

  • how to organize your practice session so you don’t waste time

  • how to attack nerves and performance anxiety

  • more! so much more

it’s for both percussionists and non-percussionists.

what topics should i cover?????

i’m taking submissions for topics. i want to share as much of the information that i know about literally any musical topic. please tell me what you want to learn! i’m doing this for you, after all. just comment on the latest video and let me know what topic you want me to cover next. and while you’re there, please subscribe and hit me up with a ‘thumbs up.'

want to nail your next audition?

here's the 5-part audition preparation method i used to win a job in the met orchestra.

Featured
self-recording workbook.jpg
all the gear you need for self-recording
the complete guide to self-recording

i've worked with hundreds of musicians on audition preparation. and nothing - NOTHING - has been as effective and life-changing as when they start self-recording the right way.

how to learn notes accurately
how to learn notes accurately

if there's any kind of "secret sauce" with my playing or my auditioning, it definitely starts with the way i learn notes. i use a system of learning notes that is so secure, so foolproof, and helps me play so confidently that i pretty much use it for everything. it’s called the ROAM method.

how to build rock solid rhythm
how to build rock solid rhythm

imprecise rhythm is something that can get you cut from an audition IMMEDIATELY (regardless of your instrument). and great rhythm is something that an audition committee can sense, both consciously and subconsciously. hearing someone play in the pocket just feels good.

well, i have a few tricks up my sleeve to straighten out my rhythm, and today i'm sharing one of the most effective strategies.

video: 7 ways to show musicality on snare drum
video: 7 ways to show musicality on snare drum

the snare drum seems like it could be the most boring instrument on earth. regardless, you still have to sound as musical as any violinist or oboist or trumpeter.

in today's video, i'm showing you 7 ways you can express phrasing and musicality on the snare drum.

how to audition for summer festivals
how to audition for summer festivals

it's just about time to get started practicing for your 2022 summer festival audition season. most festivals announce and post the repertoire on november 1st. (don't kill me, i'm just the messenger.) so in today's video, i'll give you some pointers about how to take on your summer festival auditions successfully.

how to reduce tension in your technique
how to reduce tension in your technique

can you fix tension in your playing? can you play looser, reduce pressure, and relax? or are you doomed to be a person who plays with tension forever? the answer is... HELL NO.

if you practice it in the right way, you can learn to master tension, just like you've mastered so many things before.

the best mic for auditions
the best mic for auditions

you can't trust your adrenaline-addled memory of the audition moment. you don't know how you actually sounded unless you record and listen back when you're feeling sane. your recording holds the key information you need to improve. in today’s video, i'm going over how to record your audition + mocks, the super cool thing these mics can do, how to use the mics, how to play differently for a committee vs. yourself.

how to practice after a long break
how to practice after a long break

nothing is permanent. there's no practice rut that can't be un-rutted. even the best musicians go through bad practice phases. so today i'm going over 4 tips that will help you start fresh. i want to help you rebuild your chops, add structure to your practice sessions, and pivot back to reality.

will auditions ever come back?
will auditions ever come back?

4 reasons why they definitely, absolutely, unquestionably will.

rob knopper

hailed by @nytimes as needing 'louder triangle notes'. recorded delécluse: douze études for snare drum, percussionist in @metorchestra.

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