A practice routine with a metronome, recording and a timer

Giving each part of a session a clear purpose can make progress easier to recognize. Here is a thirty-minute example.

First 5 minutes: check how you feel today

Start with easy playing to check your hands and ears rather than jumping straight into the hardest passage. There is no need to push the tempo. Choose just one point to work on.

Next 10 minutes: work on a phrase with the metronome

Isolate a short difficult phrase and start at a tempo you can play reliably. Increase the tempo gradually as you succeed. If mistakes increase, slow down again to understand what is going wrong.

Next 10 minutes: record and listen

Thirty seconds to a minute is enough. Focus on playing while recording, then choose one or two things to listen for, such as timing, note length or dynamics. Avoid trying to fix everything at once.

Final 5 minutes: record a complete run-through

Record a run-through at today's tempo and save it. It does not have to be perfect every day. Compare the same piece a few days later to hear changes you may not have noticed while practicing.