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 speed-vs-smoothness
Author: jan 
Date:   2001-07-18 15:44

hi guys,
my teacher is trying to get me to learn my lessons (etudes) in smallers chunks. i like his example that if he were to give me a whole chapter to learn there would probably be a lot of things i would forget, but if he gave me just a paragraph at a time, after several weeks i would know the chapter better than if i did it all at once.

that being said, i did what he said, learing 2 measures at a time. in a weeks time i have 3 lines sounding quite well except i cant play them at the speed that is indicated. in fact, i am no where near that speed.

my lesson got cancelled this week so i get to work on it some more. do you guys think i should try to get these 3 lines faster, or add another 3 lines for next week but play them at a slow speed? i am unsure what my teacher will be expecting.

thanks
jan

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 RE: speed-vs-smoothness
Author: David Pegel 
Date:   2001-07-18 17:32

You said you need to learn it in "chunks"? I would work on perfecting what I know until it's done. Why learn only the basics of addition and then move on to algebra, to use a decent learning analogy. You miss out on a lot. OTOH, if you look at the next three lines, you can ask your instructor about speed and have a head start with the next lines.

I would recommend that you work on getting the pasage more up to speed and spend a small amount of time looking forward.

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 RE: speed-vs-smoothness
Author: Ken Shaw 
Date:   2001-07-18 17:40

Jan -

Your teacher will be expecting you to be able to play each assignment perfectly, both at a slow speed and at various intermediate speeds -- if possible, at the performance speed. If you play at performance speed without working through all the intermediate speeds, even if you make it through -- and even if you happen to make it through once without a mistake --all you will be doing is "faking" it and practicing the art of making mistakes. See my posting at http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=46402&t=46384 .

Please look at my other postings about working out scales in small sections, http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=24907&t=24731 and applying the same method to difficult passages in music, in this case, Weber's Concertino, http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=14529&t=14450 .

If you come in with the assignment completely mastered, that's plenty, even when a lesson has been skipped. If you can do more, then of course you should, but concentrate on the assignment first.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw

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 RE: speed-vs-smoothness
Author: John Gould 
Date:   2001-07-18 19:09

I second Ken's suggestions, and also would direct you to a great book called
The Working Clarinetist by Peter Hadcock. In it, he discusses his strategy for getting things up to speed and not learning mistakes, which he terms the "five-and-one" method. You can get the book from VanCott Information services (a sneezy sponsor). Also, if you have to work on, say, a movement from a concerto for 3 months before it is fully mastered, the QUALITY of your practice and learning will definitely have bearing on how well you can play it for the long haul. Those pieces you learn thoroughly the first time will always be more at your disposal (or "in your fingers") than those that got a cursory inspection. Good luck. John G.

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 RE: speed-vs-smoothness
Author: Suzanne 
Date:   2001-07-18 21:29

why don't you just call your teacher?

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 RE: speed-vs-smoothness
Author: jan 
Date:   2001-07-18 23:18

1.becuz of the interesting, educational and great answers i always receive from the knowlegable people who dont mind passing on their thots to me. if i always asked my teacher questions and only him, i wouldnt learn as much or have as much to think about with all the ideas ppl pass along to me here.
2. i dont want to bother my teacher not during lesson time
3. i will ask him next week but in the mean time i was given some good advice from ken that i wouldnt have thot of had i not asked my question here.

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