Nine Practice Tips (a rough draft):

Here are nine ideas off the top of my head you can use to make your practicing more productive and satisfying:

  1. Practice music and skills that genuinely interest you.
  2. Think of practice as problem solving (as opposed to repetition).
  3. Don’t force yourself to practice if you are tired or tense, because being tense at the piano can become a habit.
  4. Pay attention to how your body feels when you practice. In general, if something is uncomfortable, you’re probably doing it wrong.
  5. Recording yourself is one of the most effective ways to practice. Record, listen, evaluate, refine, and repeat. Video recording is better than just audio.
  6. Analyze the music as if you are a conductor, and decide what you want to do with each phrase. Try lots of different possibilities.
  7. Get up off of the piano bench and walk around the room, singing and conducting the music you are working on.
  8. Find a balance between trying to perfect the smallest, fussiest details, and working on the overall picture. Do both of these things.
  9. Spend time playing without a goal. Just enjoy sitting at the piano, making music.

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