That saying is false. Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Since one cannot practice perfectly, on will never be perfect.
I suppose I am a heretic, but I have never spent any appreciable time on scales or arpeggios or such separately; I have enough trouble with the ones in my repertoire pieces!
After playing a piece through several times and without error, I can then can mess up usually on the last 4 or 5 bars, the next practice session. It is most frustrating. Aslo, when folks say they practice 2 to 4 hours a day, do they mean on one particular piece or on several pieces, including scales, arpeggios, etc.Thanks.
I guess everyone practices differently, I'm only learning new things after 2 hours warm up.Before that I pratice on small parts, I make micro etudes out of the difficult parts I practice, and loop them. Also pratice rythm and with metronome to see if my transitions are fluid. Never giving up, there's just days like that, but eventually, you're better today than yesterday
What a very good question.IMHO, professional practice makes for a more professional performance. I don't mean a performance for which other people will pay to hear, but one that does justice to the music and the composer's intent.When I first began playing, I started from the beginning and played to the point where I didn't know it, then I'd attack that hands alone, hands together.Now (5 years into study), I sit down with the piece first away from piano and analyze as much as I can: where is the fingering going to be challenging, which sections contain technical challenges which I find difficult to master, what at the patterns in the music. Before I touch the piano, I mark off the challenging sections, number the measures, yellow highlight the repeating patterns.Then, I touch the keys. I start with the most challenging sections, because I'm at the height of my enthusiasm for the piece at the beginning, and each practice session for some time I'll begin with those sections. Everything else comes thereafter.At the end of every practice session, I'll write out an outline of the next practice session, sequence of pieces, sections and duration of practice. Some days, I just skip the plan, most days I find if I stick to it, I can feel progress.I'm not a teacher, nor a professional,so I find it is helpful to read books about practice. One of my favorite is "The Practice Revolution."
Hi compline,I would say that for all of us, practice makes less imperfect.Mvh,Michael