Today I decided to get serious about violin. As I do not have a teacher (yet), I casually Google-searched “bad violin technique” to build up a list of things to improve.
However, I found this: http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/the_most_valuable_lesson_i_learned_from_playing_the_violin
Written by a guy who played the violin since he was two, this article is chock full of information. Noa Kageyama serves at Juilliard as a performance psychologist. After 23 years of intense playing, he knows the difficulty of optimizing practice time, keeping focused, and improving quickly. I am modeling my practice method on the one he describes.
He explains the inanity of mindless practice and expounds on efficiency. He is encouraging, inspiring, and backed by years of experience at the top music school in America. His clear descriptions are backed up by useful examples. Read his article all ye who play instruments, and your life will be changed.