Practice makes permanent

I don’t like the phrase “practice makes perfect” because I think it’s incomplete. Practice can make perfect, but that’s only when it’s perfect practice. So you could say, “perfect practice makes perfect”, but that’s a little clunky. So instead I say, “practice makes permanent.” It’s more complete.

If you practice well and you try to improve every time you play, that’ll lead to you playing better. But if you constantly practice with sloppy technique or playing inaccurately, then you’ll perform with sloppy technique and with inaccurate playing.

So make sure that you practice with good technique. Now you can get really hyper focused on this to the point where, I think, it becomes detrimental, but the main idea is good. If you want to perform with good technique and accuracy, you have to practice with good technique and accuracy. Maybe that means playing things slowly and making sure each note is articulated correctly. Maybe that means recording yourself and listening back to it to double check how your technique was. Whatever method you use to check your playing and make sure that you’re playing with good technique and accurately is what will be helpful.

So rather than thinking that any type of practice makes perfect, think that practice makes permanent.

Practice how you want to perform.

ISJ