The 4 Times Rule of Practice

To create more focus and mimic some of the pressure you will feel when performing I suggest trying the 4-Times Rule.

It’s a simple process:

1. repeat the passage 4 times without making a mistake

2. If you make a mistake, restart the process

3. If you get stumped and can’t get 4 times in a row, slow your tempo down.

4. To make it more challenging, try more repeats or a faster tempo.

It’s amazing how this simple 5-10 minute process will help you really focus on the task at hand more than if you were just playing through a few times. This type of practice is also called mindful practice.

As a teacher, I try this often with students and it becomes a game. Students really engage with the challenge and the results are very quick.