Practice Tidbit #14

Practice different days of the week and different times of the day, so you can find the practice time that works best with your schedule. You may be able to focus differently during different times of the day.

Practice Tidbit #13

Good practice habits are built by finding what works for you. You need to practice regularly, but you can measure practice by the amount of time you devote to practice each day or by accomplishing certain goals each practice session.

Practice Tidbit #12

You need plenty of repetitions when working on a difficult passage. Even if your brain gets it right away, your fingers and bow hand need more time to coordinate.

Practice Tidbit #11

Separate the piece you are working on into practice sections, so you can tear sections apart, fix things, then put sections back together. Try starting with a different section each time you practice,so you aren’t always starting at the beginning of the piece.

Practice Tidbit #10

Self evaluation is the most important skill for successful practice. Recording yourself and listening to yourself play will allow you to evaluate your playing while you are solely focused on listening.

Practice Tidbit #9

Mastering fine motor skills takes many repetitions. It is best to practice a set amount for several days in a row rather than practiging for a long time all in one day. Slow and steady wins the race!

Practice Tidbit #5

Practice pieces in small sections and areas. Practice is for working through problem areas and improving things. Try to avoid playing straight through anything until maybe at the very end of your practice session as a reward.