Author: violinerin

Mastering an instrument takes a mixture of talent and hard work. Both are necessary.

Slow things down during practice and then gradually increase the tempo until you can play everything correctly up to tempo.

Memorize really difficult passages in your pieces. Playing them by memory will make them easier to play because you can focus solely on your instrument during the difficult part.

End each practice session with something fun-playing a piece you love, making up your own song or just playing straight through the piece you were working on.

There is always something to improve on every piece of music, scale or etude. 

Private lessons without practice are a waste of time and money. Guided practice sessions once a week are not enough to make meaningful progress on an instrument.

Try practicing at different times of the day and settle on one that works best for the most efficient practicing. We are in a different headspace at different times of the day.

Find a practice strategy that works for you whether you measure practice by a set amount of time or accomplishing certain goals.

When working through a passage your brain may get it right away, but your fingers and your bow need more time to coordinate. Make sure you can play a difficult passage three times correctly before moving on.

Try starting anywhere other than the beginning of the piece.