1. Piano practice must be done regularly. A shorter daily practice time is far more effective than one long practice time a day before your lesson.
2. Make piano practice a part of your daily routine. It might be a good idea to practice during the same hour each day. Some students find it helpful to keep a log of their practice times.
3. Start practicing soon after your lesson while your teacher’s instructions and advice are still fresh in your mind.
4. Start your practice with scales and finger exercises. Athletes warm up before they practice, and so should musicians!
5. Practice technical work as well as difficult parts in pieces as follows: a) staccato instead of legato b) dotted eighth notes instead of straight eighth notes.
6. Isolate problem areas in pieces and practice them first until you can play them fluently. Start slowly and increase speed gradually. You will not make progress by merely playing through the entire piece.
7. Always practice your pieces with separate hands first until you know it well enough to play it with both hands. Count carefully and look at key signatures and accidentals to avoid practicing in mistakes.
8. It’s always a good idea to practice with a metronome to help you not to speed up or slow down. A metronome is a great investment for any musician.
9. Last but not least: Have fun! Believe in yourself and enjoy making more and more progress by practicing diligently.
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