Day 12
The Do’s and Don’ts of Effective Practice
Hello! Welcome to Day 12. We’re officially halfway through our advent calendar – how are you finding these tips so far? I hope you’re already noticing some changes in your practice.
Today, I’m sharing a video with you that covers some fundamental practice principles that will transform your sessions. These are the do’s and don’t’s that I teach all my students – simple rules that make an enormous difference to your progress.
Watch the video, and then come back to today’s task.
Today’s Task (10 minutes):
After watching the video, I want you to do two things:
Part 1: Look at the piece you’re currently learning. Divide it into 3-5 sections based on natural phrase breaks (or just use 4-bar chunks if you’re not sure where phrases end).
Part 2:Â Choose ONE section that needs work – NOT bar one! – and practice just that section for 5 minutes. Set a timer if you need to. Focus only on those few bars. Get them really solid before you move to another section.
This might feel strange at first. Your instinct will be to play through from the beginning. Resist! This focused approach is how you build strong foundations.
For advanced players:
Take this further by implementing the “switching tasks” principle from the video. Set an interval timer for every 2-3 minutes. Each time it goes off, switch what you’re focusing on within those same bars:
- First 2 minutes: Focus on rhythm accuracy with the metronome
- Next 2 minutes: Focus on tone quality and dynamics
- Next 2 minutes: Focus on smooth technical execution
- Final 2 minutes: Put it all together
By switching your focus regularly, you stay engaged and avoid mindless repetition. Plus, you’re training different parts of your brain, which means better retention.