What: Keeping a steady pulse that neither rushes nor drags across the whole performance.
Why: Steadiness is the base of all ensemble and dance performance; wavering confuses the listener and your fellow players.
How: Practise with a metronome, start slow, and feel the pulse in your body, not your hand alone.
Common mistake: Rushing in exciting passages and dragging in difficult ones.
Exercise: Play a simple pattern with a metronome for a full minute without slipping off the pulse.