A.        Set aside a regular time each day for being at the piano, and…sit at the piano!

B.        Follow the Five-Step Daily Practice Plan:
                1.      Warm-ups (technique)  To play better, always warm up with technique.
                2.      Technical Studies (Dozen-a-Day, studies)  Do not skip exercising.
                3.      Learning (new pieces)
                4.      Polishing (pieces already under way)
                5.      Reviewing (at least one older piece)

C.        Learn effectively:

                1.  First slice the piece into small sections that make musical sense.  Relax the focus of your eyes and you will easily see the shapes, groupings, and patterns of the music.  Notice phrases.  Mark the sections with a pencil.

                2.   For each section, figure out what fingers to use and write the fingering on the music.  Mark fingering only on notes that begin a new hand position or have a tricky finger pattern.  Use a sharp pencil and mark the number close to the note.  Have an eraser handy.

                3.   Practice each section by itself, including a few notes that overlap the sections before and after.  Do not be tempted to play the piece right through, not even once.  This poorly-played first impression will stick in your brain forever.  Over time (days or even weeks), as sections become polished, combine them into larger groups, but NEVER PLAY NONSTOP FROM START TO FINISH unless it is a performance.

                4.   Once you have found the hardest sections, practise them first.  The hard sections determine how long it will take to learn the entire piece.  If a new piece is long, work backwards, learning the new sections planned for today followed by those learned yesterday and so on.

                5.   Maintain a steady beat at all times.  Use a metronome if you have one.  If you hate using the metronome, then you probably really need it.  Set it at a comfortable speed.  Then gradually work toward the finished tempo of the piece.

                6.   For secure performance and solid memory, you must do everything correctly and intentionally the first time, and then again every time, time after time.  Pay attention to everything on the page, including touches, dynamics and pedalling.  Learning only the notes first will result in a confused brain.  Choose a speed at which you are certain to play perfectly.

                7.   Brain research has shown it takes 7 repetitions to develop a memory and 35 repetitions to release that memory, so DO NOT PRACTICE MISTAKES.  If you do slip, reduce speed and fix the error in the very next repetition.

                8.   Keep your eyes on the page, hands on the keys, and ears on the music.  Take the time to evaluate what you just played and to decide what you must do to play it better.  Always try to make the music more beautiful.

D.        Record your practice time.  The suggested minimum practice time:
                Primer (beginner)        120 minutes/week  (20 minutes/day)
                Book 1 (beginner)        150 minutes/week  (25 minutes/day)
                Grades 1/2                  180 minutes/week  (30 minutes/day)
                Grades 3/4                  210 minutes/week  (35 minutes/day)
                Grades 5/6                  240 minutes/week  (40 minutes/day)
                Grades 7/8                  270 minutes/week  (45 minutes/day)