Is This the Ultimate Guide to Practicing? | Philip Johnston’s Practiceopedia

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I've been after Practiceopedia by Philip Johnston for years, but the insanely ridiculous prices put me off—until I finally found a reasonably priced copy! In this video, I dive into its brilliant piano practice strategies. Practiceopedia isn't your typical practice book filled with exercises; instead, it's a guide to mastering the art of effective practice.

Whether you're a beginner or an advanced player, this book is packed with smart practice strategies that apply to musicians at every level. In this episode, I'll explore the first chapter, 'Curing Your Addiction to the Start of Your Piece,' and share how these ideas can help you improve your piano practice habits. This isn't just a review; it's a deeper look at how to use these practice strategies in your own routine.

Depending on your feedback, this may be the first in a series where I break down more insights from Practiceopedia. If you find these practice strategies helpful, let me know in the comments!

In this in-depth video, you'll discover:

The neuroscience behind how your brain learns complex movements—and why starting from different points is so important for piano practice.

How practising from the end of a piece backwards can lead to faster progress and better memorisation.

How the habit of always starting from the beginning wastes time, and how isolating tricky sections can supercharge your practice strategy.

How embracing a "beginner's mind" from Zen Buddhism can help break the habit of always starting from the beginning in your piano practice.

The importance of leaning into your weaknesses and the psychological reasons why most people avoid it in their practice routines.

How your bad practice habits are crippling your teacher and holding you back from deeper musical growth.

How breaking bad practice habits means not just sounding better, but also getting more done in less time.