Do not expect to progress at the same rate - you may find yourself moving more quickly one week than the next. Don't worry - this is perfectly natural.

Try to make your practice environment as pleasant as possible.

Try to practice in a well ventilated area.

Avoid practicing when you are feeling tired.

Do not practice half-hearted.

Start every practice session with a 5 minute warm up - playing only long notes.

Never practice a piece all the way through - take out the more complicated passages. Start in the middle or the end.

Practice these until it is impossible to get it wrong. Practice is cumulative.

Use different rhythms, as this will improve your muscles and evenness of execution.

Play the more complicated passages backwards. Play difficult passages for 1 minute, going round and round them without stopping and breathing. If you make a mistake, start from the beginning of the minute.

Always think the music through in your head before you begin.

Practice without your instrument. Finger the passage without blowing air into your instrument. This is effective for learning pieces quickly.

Practice slowly, then work the speed up gradually. Never practice a piece at the same speed, always practice at varying speeds. When preparing concert or exam pieces, play them three times slowly then twice at a moderate tempo then once fast.

Always try to internalise your music. Music comes from the heart.

Try to practice for short periods every day rather than 1 hour before your lesson. If you are practicing more intensively (say 3hours) remember to take regular breaks every 20 or so minutes.

Practice Plan
5 minutes: Long notes, long and low. These could be combined with scales, if this option is to be taken your scales should be in quavers at crotchet = 60

10 minutes: Pieces - Pick your weaker areas, following the above guidelines.

10 minutes: Technical exercises, go round the difficult passages/bars for 1 minute without stopping or breathing - making sure that you are playing rhythmically and with a consistent sound.

5 minutes: Sight reading

Above all, your music should be enjoyable to you, the performer and the listener. Practice in short, concentrated periods - FOCUS!

Aim to cover all areas in your schedule.

Scales and arpeggios are the food for music, start and finish every session with them.

ALWAYS practise slowly, then work up to the speed. LONG NOTES ARE ESSENTIAL

Never stay on one thing for too long.

Practice intervals (Large jumps) - eg, Major thirds (i.e E to E, D to F etc)

Slow methodical practice will ensure success.

Always listen to yourself and be critical of your playing.

How you think of your playing is crucial to your future. If you feel good you will be more