Whatever amount of time you spend practicing, you want to make the most of it. For that reason it's important to organize your practice time and to create your own personalized practice routine.

One important part of organizing your routine is to make sure you allow time every day to get some practice in critical areas. This means you should work in segments where you practice scales, chords, tongue blocking and slapping, and whole songs you want to learn. As your technique develops you can add working on your tone, your vibrato, breath control, and other more advanced techniques. Make a plan for your practice sessions with a list of the things you want to work on, and plan your practice time so that at least a few minutes are devoted to each of these areas.

Another important part of getting organized is setting up a practice area for yourself somewhere in your house, or elsewhere, that's equipped with the following items:

• A comfortable chair with a back that allows you to sit up straight

• A music stand so that you can put your practice notebook in a place where it's right in front of your eyes without having to hold it

• A metronome for practicing scales and playing in time in general

• A notebook to keep your lists of practice routines, exercises, and other inspirations

• A tape recorder or other type of recording device to record your progress for self-evaluation

• A backup harmonica for those days when your own harp blows a reed or stops working for any other reason

Make a point of adding new techniques and exercises to practice to your list often, and go back frequently to refresh yourself on earlier material.