Practicing at home is essential for improving. Having a good space for practice can make a difference in terms of motivation (a comfortable space is inviting) and effectiveness (make practice time count). You don’t need anything fancy. A few good choices for your practice space, can make practice more enjoyable and productive at home.
1. Choose a Quiet Place
Find an area where you won’t be distracted by noise or other people’s activities. A corner of your bedroom or a quiet place in the living room can be fine. Noise and movement around you can make concentrating on practice harder, so being away from doorways and hallways can help.
2. Have Equipment Ready
In your practice area, if you can keep commonly used equipment in place, that can be very helpful. Imagine having to unfold and fold a music stand, set up lighting, and unpack your music, every single time you practice, versus just having everything ready to go. Saving a few minutes setting up every day, can add up over time.
Some reasonable equipment choices that you can try include the following:
Music Stand: If you already own one, like maybe a standard steel wireframe music stand (like this one https://www.amazon.com/CAHAYA-Lightweight-Portable-Adjustable-Carrying/dp/B0872TGQQT/ ) then use that. If you need to get a new stand, this slightly more expensive model (about $50) is sturdy, light, and easy to move around. You can leave multiple pieces of music on this stand, and it will remain in place. Plus solid plastic parts are less likely to poke or scratch. Peak Music Stand SMS-20 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KBD47CS?th=1
Violin (or cello) Stand: For long term storage, you should keep your musical instrument in its case. A case protects your instrument from bumps, humidity changes, and other physical hazards. But for short term storage, this style of violin stand works well. The padded parts keep your violin safe and secure. This is better than placing your violin on a chair, table, or (gasp!) on the floor. There are many companies that make violin stands that look like this, and they are not expensive (around $35). Eastar Violin Stand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q4VSYWN
3. Choose Good Lighting
You’ll want to be able to see your music and your instrument clearly when you are practicing. If the ambient lighting in your room is low, add a floor lamp. Or you can clip a reading lamp onto your practice stand. Something like these two can work.
https://www.amazon.com/Gritin-Rechargeable-Temperatures-Brightness-Lightweight/dp/B0C3BC4QG2
https://www.amazon.com/Kootek-Orchestra-Adjustable-Reading-Rechargeable/dp/B014F1UKI6/
4. Use a Good Chair
A comfortable chair is essential for good practice. Choose a chair that doesn’t have any arms and is a good height for practicing comfortably. Most standard chairs (with a cushion) are fine for violin and viola students. For cellists, if standard chairs don’t feel comfortable, you may want to invest in an adjustable stool or adjustable piano bench. One reasonable option for about $34 is https://www.amazon.com/AODSK-Keyboard-Adjustable-Collapsible-Retardant/dp/B09DT9W4R4/
There are also fancier adjustable chair options available like https://www.johnsonstring.com/cgi-bin/music/scripts/violin-viola-cello-music.cgi?itemno=ACCECHA01&gad_source=1, but those are more expensive.
5. Limit Distractions
Finally, let other people around you know that you are practicing, so they won’t disturb you. Focused practice is more likely to help you. Choosing a regular time of day to practice will help family members become accustomed to your practice schedule.
