Author: D
Date: 2008-08-19 19:02
Another technique which I have used (often useful with long runs of semi quavers and lots of jumps) is to run a metronome and play every first note of the bar, then again with the first and middle note and then all four quarters of the bar and so on until you are playing every note. Idea being that you pick up the shape of the phrase and the sense of speed. However, because of the mathematical division of which notes you play, rather than a musical one, you can end up playing some mighty odd notes. It puts a new perspective on the piece and sometimes is enough to break a blind spot. And whatever happens you keep going. The total opposite to the 10 perfect repetitions technique, which is also brilliant but works on a different aspect of your playing. That is looking more at muscle memory, this looks more at fitting a melodic line together and drilling that shape in. A similar technique if you are really struggling, get a blank sheet of manuscript paper and draw out the melodic line as a single line in coloured pencil, just going up or down according to where the notes go. Don't do any notes, just a long line. Also, sing the melodic line from memory, if you can't then you may find this is what is tripping you up, as every time you play you are actually sight reading part of it and your brain can't process fast enough.
By the way, does the bar you get stuck on come at the beginning of a line? I sometimes find that is a problem. If so, write it out on another sheet and tape it to the end of the previous line for a while to see if that helps.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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