How to make your practice perfectly imperfect

This week one of my readers sent me the following message (edited for typos):

In the section on muscle memory it says to slow things down enough that you’re getting them right. But in the first chapter you talk about not forcing yourself into perfection straight away. So if I am doing an exercise 10 times to build up muscle memory. Would you say I should give myself some slack if I use the wrong finger etc once or twice within those 10 reps?

A good question! A point I should have made more clearly.

The “90% correct” approach is best suited for activities like playing through songs or working on speed. It allows for some imperfection as you build momentum and fluidity.

However, when you encounter a specific issue, such as inconsistent fingering, you’ll want to slow things down and aim for absolute precision. In those moments, your goal should be getting it 100% correct. So, for the ten reps you mentioned, focus on executing them with perfect finger placement every single time. If you make a mistake, go back to the start of your 10 reps.

If you’re already getting things right most of the time, a balanced practice strategy can be very effective. You might split your session in two: spend 50% of the time isolating and refining a specific detail with slow, deliberate reps where accuracy is flawless. Then, dedicate the remaining 50% to pushing your speed limits and incrementally increasing the tempo on the metronome (e.g., 60bpm, then 63bpm, then 66bpm) until things start to fall apart.

This mix helps reinforce correct technique while also expanding your technical capacity.

Hopefully you find that helpful, it gives you some ideas and clarifies some points in the book.