Abstract
The effects of structured practice on the performance skills of middle school first-year band students were examined. Sixty-nine students from four middle schools in Miami-Dade County, Florida served as subjects for the study. Students in the experimental group (n = 33) used the Daily Structured Practice Form (DSPF) to help structure their home practice. Control group subjects (n = 36) wrote down the number of minutes they practiced each day. Variables assessed included Posture, Hand Position, Embouchure, Tone, Intonation, Note Accuracy, Rhythm Accuracy, and Articulation. Following a six-week treatment period, subjects performed two exercises they were required to practice at home. Performances were video recorded and assessed by three judges. Data revealed no statistical significance between the control and experimental groups for any of the eight dependent variables. Descriptive statistics indicated that subjects in the experimental groups received higher scores in all dependent variables except Hand Position. Correlations between all variables except Tone and Intonation were weak.