Practice

Pick your favorite music

Play it as many times as you'd like

Start with a short warm up (long tones, Remingtons)

Practice something that you know you can easily play

Practice something that you have difficulty with

Practice your favorite song

Start with a warmup that includes:

• Long Tones

• Breathing exercises

• Scales (as many as you know)

• Tuning several notes (Concert Bb, A, F)

Pick something that you can easily play; turn on a metronome and play with a steady pulse. Try to improve one or more of the following:

• Articulation (including slurs)

• Phrasing (playing in one breath, crescendo and decrescendo)

• Consistent note lengths

Pick something that you have difficulty with. Set your metronome at a very slow tempo. Play APAP (As Perfectly as Possible) several times. Increase the tempo by no more than 4 BPM and do the same thing. Continue until you can't play APAP any more. Stop and write down that tempo (for tomorrow).

Repeat with other difficult sections and songs.

Record yourself and listen (to make sure you are hearing what you REALLY sound like).

Finish with something that you really like to play.