Day 5: Build speed without losing your form

What you’ll accomplish today

By the end of Day 5, you’ll have:

• a simple tempo ladder you can use to speed up any passage
• a quick “burst” method to make fast tempos feel normal
• a way to practice speed without tension
• (ideally) a faster "clean" tempo than yesterday

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Step 1: Set the table

Play the spot once slowly using yesterday’s movement plan.

You’re checking one thing: Does it still feel natural?

If not, slow down and make it easy again before you push speed. That’s not “going backwards” – it's how you keep your form.

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Step 2: Tempo ladder

1. Set the metronome at a speed where it’s clean and natural (from Step 1).
2. Get 5 clean reps in a row.
3. Increase by a small amount.
4. Repeat the same test.

A few quick reminders::

• Keep repetitions musical, not mechanical.
• The metronome is there to show you progress, not pressure you.
• Once you’ve earned the reps, move forward – don’t live at one tempo all day.

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Step 3: Add “bursts”

Bursts are one of the quickest ways to make fast tempos feel normal.

Option A (works for most spots)

Keep the metronome slower, but play short bursts:

• 2 notes per beat, then
• 4 notes per beat (doubled)

Make sure your bursts are short, controlled, and clean.

Option B (great for RH/coordination spots)

Make a small variation to your repetitions that targets your weakness For example: accent a note, change the rhythm slightly, simplify the left hand, etc.

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Step 4: Relax on purpose

Speed only works if you build in relaxation.

Try this: one beat playing / one beat relaxing

Take breaks often. Don’t just wait until you’re tired to rest – you’re training ease.

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Watch today’s clip (2 minutes)

Łukasz Kuropaczewski — “Building speed while staying in control”

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Get access to 100s of technique courses

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With a 14-day free trial of tonebase Premium, you can refresh the exact technique behind your spot – shift, slur, barre, or coordination – and plug it straight into today’s tempo ladder and bursts.

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Before you go...

Let's do a quick check-in:

My clean tempo today is: ____________________

Tomorrow we’ll stress-test it in real playing, so your fix survives outside the practice room.

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