Klarinet Archive - Posting 000035.txt from 1998/09

From: Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.Net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Memorization
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 07:58:05 -0400

In my experience as a performer and a teacher, the best way to memorize is
not measure by measure, or backwards, or forwards, but a phrase at a time.
Memorizing what is, in effect, one damn note after another, all unrelated,
is extremely difficult. It also encourages a performance that focuses on
technique to the detriment of musicianship. A feeling for phrasing is one
of the key components of musicianship.

It's also very helpful if one has enough knowledge of harmony so that, even
on a wind instrument, one is aware that this measure is on an A minor
chord, and the next two are on a D major chord, and so on. If I could, I'd
have every wind instrument player take a year or two of piano, using one of
the methods that teaches harmony from the very beginning, and including a
lot of drill on chords and scales. On the piano, one gets a feeling for the
structure of a piece of music much more that on a melody instrument. You
don't have to become an accomplished keyboardist to derive this benefit.

And if you're interested in improvisation, a solid grounding in harmony is
almost as important as a trained ear, and beats the stuffing out of the
too-often used approach of learning a bunch of lick.

Lee Hickling <hickling@-----.net>

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