Practice makes perfect... we've probably all heard that phrase, perhaps more than we like, but the meaning behind it is true! You will only do well at something if you work hard to get there. That's where the first of the five tips for better piano practice comes in!

Tip one is to practice at least 30 minutes each weekday. There's an important note here: this does NOT mean that you can just practice two and a half hours each week in more concentrated time slots. Working an hour on Tuesday, an hour on Friday, and thirty minutes on the weekend does not work. Consistent practice is more productive than concentrated practice. Here's why:

The point of tip one is that you practice consistently each day. To get the most out of your practice, train your hands well, and improve sight reading, you must practice frequently even if it means practicing for less time. It's much better to practice less each day than to practice for longer periods of time infrequently. Doing less more frequently will help you improve better and faster as a pianist.

Consistent practice will also help you recall concepts and gain muscle memory because you will be reminding yourself of what you have learned each day. It's like Bible memorization. At least for me, if I have a new verse and I don't work on that verse each day, I will quickly forget it and be unable to recite it later.

In conclusion, remember these two points for tip one:

Consistent, not concentrated, practice

At least 30 minutes each weekday

Read the whole series, "5 Tips for Better Piano Practice", here