What is the number one thing you can do to practice better? The one technique or strategy you can use to correct mistakes or even out bumpy passages?
It is something really simple, as are most suggestions I try to bring to you. If you don’t already do this, you should try it. It is to slow things down.
It only makes sense that if you can’t play something slowly, you won’t be able to play it fast, so when you make a mistake, take a breath and take a close look at what just happened, look for the cause, and go over it slowly and thoroughly until there is no problem. Then you can work that spot up to tempo, again, taking it slowly.
I’m always looking for new and better ways to make my practicing better so I often read Noa Kageyama’s Bulletproof Musician blog to see what new advice he has to share. Check out this post to see how your practicing methods compare with the 8 top methods identified in a study of accomplished pianists. And guess what the Number One thing you can do to practice better is? Yes, it is to “Slow Down!”
http://www.bulletproofmusician.com/8-things-top-practicers-do-differently/
