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20 мар 2012

How to Master those Difficult Musical Passages

How to give that hard spot in the music "The Treatment" and learn to play the music perfectly and securely.

Coaching Tip: How to Master those Difficult Musical Passages

Everyone has them.....those knotty (or are they naughty?) difficult places in music that you just can't seem to master. Me, too! Let me think.....there was Daphnis and Chloe, Petrouchka, the little cat going up the tree thing in Peter and the Wolf....ah, yes, I remember them well.I have a way of making that "impossible" part seem easy and I call it The Treatment. This way of practicing has been around for a long time and I have made it a part of my own way of quick and efficient practicing. I am always amazed at the difference in how hard that "impossible" part seemed to be when I began and how it magically becomes possible, even simple to play!Here is what to do:
  1. Take a short passage, no more than a few measures.
  2. Turn on your metronome to a slow tempo, say 60 for a section that you want to go 120.
  3. Play the passage at that slow tempo until it is perfect every time - but at least 5 times.
  4. Then reset the metronome up ten to 70 and do the same thing.
  5. Then go back 5 points to 65 and do the same thing.
  6. Follow this pattern up to your goal tempo marking: up 10, back 5, up 10, back 5, etc
  7. It will look like this: 60, 70, 65, 75, 70, 80, 75, 85, 80, 90, 85, 95, 90, 100, 95, 105, 100, 110, 105, 115, 110, 120, 115, 120

This takes a bit of time, but it is far more efficient than just plowing through at the same tempo and making the same mistakes. Be sure to concentrate about what fingerings to use and how to move your fingers correctly and cleanly while you play at the slower tempos. Why?, Because it is at the slow speeds where you get it right and form the basis for playing fast.

Seriously, folks, if you use The Treatment you can shave off hours of practice time on that pesky "impossible" part. Did you notice I always put "impossible" in quotes? That is because with the right preparation and skillful practice........nothing is impossible. You can do it!


 

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