Klarinet Archive - Posting 000354.txt from 1998/08

From: "Karl Krelove" <kkrelove@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Fast VS. Slow Practice
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 09:00:46 -0400

-----Original Message-----
From: GTGallant@-----.com>
Date: Tuesday, August 11, 1998 11:14 PM
Subject: [kl] Fast VS. Slow Practice

>...He said: " If you only
>practice passages (fast runs and groupings) slow, you will only be able to
>play slow. You must practice them fast - in short bursts - and keep adding
>notes to the run".
>This made a lot of sense to me and I use this technique frequently. For
>example, the solo in Capriccio Espangnol (32nd note sextuplet runs) is very
>difficult to execute at quarter note @-----. I
>Think it is nearly impossible to play it that fast cleanly without using
the
>fast practice method. It must be broken down in sections and played at or
>near performance tempos. Once short sections are even and smooth, they can
be
>pieced together and played correctly... Any ideas?
>
Seems obvious that at some point you have to practice technically difficult
passage work (whether simple runs or more complicated passages) up to tempo.
But the first step still needs to be slow practice to get a good look at the
notes and rhythms and to solve any problems. I like very much Neil's method
using a metronome (he describes it more thoroughly in his own response to
this thread) combined, once I've learned what's in a a passage, with the
idea of starting with a small fragment and adding notes as things get more
comfortable. But for the students on the list, I wouldn't want anyone to get
the idea that you practice Coq d"Or or Firebird or Nielsen (or Mozart, or
Weber, etc...) up to tempo, in small sections or otherwise, the first time
you approach them.

Karl Krelove

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