Saturday, November 22, 2003
Things do to when you cannot play your music correctly:
1. Blame the instrument. It may be of bad quality. It could be out of tune, and if it's a piano, there's nothing you can do about it (unless you own tuning supplies, in which case you're just plain silly). If it's a stringed instrument, there could be something wrong with the strings, the alignment of the bridge, or both.
2. Blame the environment because its structure does not compliment the frequencies in your song. It's all about the acoustics.
3. Wash your hands.
4. Take a nap. The lack of sleep has rearranged your brain cells.
5. Fling your arms around wildly, holler like Tarzan, jump up and down like the choir teacher that could not get her students to sing. Do this for a while, and when you feel like you have been chaotic and destructive enough (or just too tired), settle down and hum some bach cello suites to strengthen your diaphram. If that is too easy for you, tackle the Haydn cello concertos. Finally, take eight, long, deep breaths, singing the notes of a descending major scale with each exhale.
When all that has been accomplished, you may return to your practicing. Remember, it is harder to play slowly than it is to play fast. Practise your pieces at half or one-third the speed to get new ideas and to practice your rhythm and articulation.
- May we all become accomplished musicians one day
1. Blame the instrument. It may be of bad quality. It could be out of tune, and if it's a piano, there's nothing you can do about it (unless you own tuning supplies, in which case you're just plain silly). If it's a stringed instrument, there could be something wrong with the strings, the alignment of the bridge, or both.
2. Blame the environment because its structure does not compliment the frequencies in your song. It's all about the acoustics.
3. Wash your hands.
4. Take a nap. The lack of sleep has rearranged your brain cells.
5. Fling your arms around wildly, holler like Tarzan, jump up and down like the choir teacher that could not get her students to sing. Do this for a while, and when you feel like you have been chaotic and destructive enough (or just too tired), settle down and hum some bach cello suites to strengthen your diaphram. If that is too easy for you, tackle the Haydn cello concertos. Finally, take eight, long, deep breaths, singing the notes of a descending major scale with each exhale.
When all that has been accomplished, you may return to your practicing. Remember, it is harder to play slowly than it is to play fast. Practise your pieces at half or one-third the speed to get new ideas and to practice your rhythm and articulation.
- May we all become accomplished musicians one day
