1. Practice at the same time everyday so it becomes part of your daily routine. A good time might be after dinner or before relaxing activities like reading or watching TV.
2. Practice good form. Piano students, sit up straight and make sure your sitting close enough to the piano, shoulders relaxed, fingers slightly curled.
3. Warm up with scales and exercises. This should take about 5 minutes.
4. Next, work on the new piece or song you’re learning. Play it several times slowly until you can play it without making mistakes (piano students may start hands separately). This should take 15 to 20 minutes for intermediate or advanced students, and 7 to 10 minutes for younger students and beginners.
5. Finish with a fun song, an older song that you like, music theory or work book activities. This might include drawing notes, practicing chords, or playing and naming notes from flash cards, for example. Total practice time should be 30 minutes (or more) for intermediate and advanced students, and 15 to 20 minutes for beginners or younger students.
Piano Instructor Eric Meyers
