Ugh! Do you hate to practice? How about asking yourself why? Maybe you'd rather be hanging out with your friends, surfing the Web, or just veg-ing in front of the tube. Or maybe you've got other projects, like studying and sports, that fill-up the hours of each day. What you've got, my friend, is a case of mindless distraction. Yet never fear, there's a cure on the way.

Practicing any musical instrument is nothing more than disciplining your mind. If you can learn to focus your attention on one musical event at a time, then you're on the road to mastering the discipline of practice.

Easier said than done, you say. Not if you set goals for yourself and work toward them every day. It's not about imagining yourself giving a solo concert at Carnegie Hall. That sort of delusion burns out quickly and offers only momentary satisfaction. The prime objective is to maintain focus. Concentrate on playing one note at a time, like a diamond cutter hews rough stones into gems.

Start by warming up with scales and arpeggios that are fun to play. Change keys as if you were improvising, and play faster as you loosen up. Don't be afraid to let your mood enter into the way that you feel as you play. A little improvisation will help you gain your concentration.

Whether you practice for five minutes or five hours, it's still progress. You be the judge of what feels best and what works in your life. But the more you practice, the more addicted you'll become to the joys and rewards of having a musical instrument at your command.