The most thorough wins

Whether teaching or practicing, there is a to-do list that has to be covered. To-do lists can get really long, so I try to keep it strictly "do this" rather than "don't do that."

If I don't take the time to thoroughly practice and review my technique each week, then poor habits will seep into my playing. Not just tonguing/breathing/buzzing/blowing - those are every day things. I also mean the details of all that.

I am learning to take this to my teaching. Part of successful teaching is just having a very long checklist of techniques and knowledge that my students must know, cover, habit-ualize. I will do a student a serious disservice if I neglect to ask if they know something critical ... or if I assume that they're pretty old and they've 'probably figured that out.'

Can't assume. Must check and re-check everything. Must make a list, a very thorough and long list full of right actions and essential knowledge. Must work through that list, and review that list as often as possible.

The most thorough wins.