I try to practice every day, not because I think I should (though that is definitely part of the reason) but because it feels good. I know I want to improve over the years and common sense tells me that will not happen if I don’t keep playing and building on what I already know.

The big question on practice is: What should you practice? I run scales every day, just because I want to stay proficient in the ones I don’t play in very often. It’s a good finger exercise too. It is not necessarily the right practice for you. Your teacher should make recommendations about your daily practice.

If you do practice scales, you can make it interesting by adding some forte and fortissimo, some triplets here and there and stuff like that. If you have a digital, pick a lively accompaniment, and play along with it. Before playing each scale, play the major chord, so your backup is in the key you are practicing. Throw in an intro and an ending and you'll finish with a flourish.

I have to keep up my sight reading too, so I include a few pieces that stretch my ability. In beginner I think you progress faster if you work in small chunks. So I wouldn’t practice playing ledger lines before being fluent with the notes on the staff. Then I would practice ledger-line pieces. If there is a particular piece you want to play, practice it in phrases and mix up the phrases. Do treble then bass then together.

I like to do chords too. One of my favorites is to do the root, fourth and fifth of each key in two hands. After a while you’ll find yourself adding minors here and there, and discovering which chords progress to each other. This is another practice that can sound great with accompaniment which will automatically be in the correct key.

If you are practicing some simple phrase, close your eyes occasionally and try to visualize the written music, then watch your hands for a while. After a while you will own that phrase.

Above all, practice what you like; have fun with it, and use whatever helps make you sound good. If you have a digital, be sure to do some playing without the background so you’ll sound good on an acoustic too. Always keep in mind that you are not just practicing to play on your piano, you are practicing to play on any piano.