Klarinet Archive - Posting 000359.txt from 1998/08

From: <CmdrHerel@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Velocity (was: Fast VS. Slow Practice)
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1998 15:00:35 -0400

In a message dated 98-08-11 23:20:56 EDT, GTGallant@-----.COM writes:

<< From the time we begin playing, we are told to practice slow so the
technical
passage is in the fingers. This works in most situations, but not in others.
I once had a conversation with Charles Neidich after a concert, and asked him
how he moved his fingers so fast. I wanted to know what his practice regimen
was that enabled him to play at such rediculous tempos. I offered the "slow
practice" solution and thought that was the key. 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. Another fine example is the last
movement of Francaix's Theme and Variations. The two sixteenth's followed by
an eigth note at quarter =168 is mega hard, and needs to be practiced rapidly
to ensure a smooth connection from one group to the next. Any ideas?
>>

I've recently started to include practice of this sort into my regime. For
about ten years I've been working slowly, doing all the good things you're
supposed to do, setting hand position and such. Now, I can with a great big
grin say that a lot of those things are "set" and I *can* practice for
velocity.

I've been working on this for past year with my teacher, and we do much as you
describe: Short groups at the higher tempo. For etudes this is like two
measures or so. For literature, it depends on the run, or grouping. This
brings things to a tempo in a way that practicing the whole passage slowly
never was able to do for me. It's an exciting place to be!

And along those lines... Look this fall for Kalmen Opperman's Velocity
Studies. They should be out soon with Carl Fischer. There's three books of
beginning, intermediate, and advanced studies that are for this very
technique.

Teri Herel

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