1) Practice a little EVERY day; this is far more beneficial than one or two long practice sessions a week.

2) Have a certain time each day that is set aside specifically for your practice. It will become part of your daily routine.

3) Learn each song in tiny chunks. Practice each part very slowly.

4) Don’t keep starting a song over from the beginning when you make a mistake.

5) Starting at the beginning of each piece and playing through to the end each time you practice is not a good use of your practice time! You are merely practicing mistakes!

6) Don’t practice mistakes or you will become very good at playing them.

7) Practice the HARD parts first—not just the easy parts you like.

8) Sometimes start in the middle of a song and work to the end.

9) Rhythm is math! Count each rhythm carefully out loud while tapping your foot. Do this before you play the song with your instrument.

10) Listen to CD recordings of experts playing your instrument.