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Re: The Forest for the Trees

Author: kdk
Date: 2021-08-10 20:18

BethGraham wrote:

> To add something to the topic, I think there's a place for both
> nuts-and-bolts learning and for more philosophical discussions
> of the "whys" behind the "whats" and "hows." At this stage of
> my learning -- a mere 2.5 years on the instrument -- I find I
> benefit more from concrete information than from the esoterica
> threads often devolve into.
>

I think the problem with focusing on primarily information in an either/or approach to this is that without some mooring in the "why," without some view of what you're trying to accomplish, applying information can become quite blind and undirected. You can go down a lot of rabbit holes if you don't have some idea of where you're trying to go.

I don't think it's necessarily dividing learning to play into "concrete information" and "esoterica." If you're told "tongue tip of the tongue to the tip of the reed," you still need an idea in your imagination, your "inner ear," of what you want the staccato to sound like and be flexible about making small adjustments to produce the effect you're trying to achieve. Tip-to-tip is pure information (possibly wrong information depending on your tongue's structure). The sound of good basic staccato is not "philosophical" or "esoteric." It's a goal (the "why").

> This is not to say that I don't enjoy learning the finer
> points; just that for me, at this stage of my learning, they
> can often get in the way of progress.
>

I'm truly not sure what you mean by "the finer points." Do they fall into "concrete information" or "esoterica?"

> But I'm just a simple lass, so it's perhaps not surprising that
> I wouldn't get it.

Did it feel good to get that in (the winky emoticon notwithstanding)? :-)

Karl

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The Forest for the Trees new

Fuzzy

2021-08-09 22:46