An excellent way to avoid practicing is to read about it! There are quite a few books written on the subject, many of them long and some even interesting, informative and entertaining. A surprisingly large number of hours can be spent in this pursuit.
For those more visually inclined, there is also a video well worth watching: Tackling the Monster, where Wynton Marsalis offers 12 very good, useful, and practical practice tips. It shouldn't be hard to find a recap by searching online. But if you do this instead of watching the video, you'll be missing both excellent commentary and fine playing. And, most of all, you would miss my favorite tip in the video: an unscripted 13th, offered early on by guest artist Yo-Yo Ma.
In a moment of enthusiasm, Yo-Yo tells us what his teacher always used to tell him: Never make a sound without hearing it first.
I may have forgotten the exact wording. It's been several years since I saw this video. But the advice has stuck with me. These words are deep. And they sound authentic, of having originated from a deeply serious conservatory environment.
Never make a sound without hearing it first.
Implications abound. The patience required is considerable. But the payoff is well worth it.
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