Author: d-oboe
Date: 2005-06-17 19:03
I agree with Ken completely here:
I have also read that article and I pretty much swear by it! With my students and in my own practice, I can't emphasize slow practice enough. I had one teacher who described it as being able to "taste" one's sound and technique. When things go by slowly (sometimes almost disgustingly slow) one can really feel everything that's going on - and of course make sure that there is no scrap in between the notes.
I read another short quote in the Mastery of Music (I can't find it now, but it's in there) and it spoke about how the technique is simply the gateway to musical performance; that technique shouldn't be your final goal, but that getting the mechanics of a certain passage then allows you to play it musically.
So back to Db's and Eb's - why are they so hard? Dunno! Practice them until they feel right. Practice until you can just play those notes without thinking. Like in the article that Ken posted, play sloooooowwww.
Here's what I might do:
Try for maybe 100 repetitions at a ridiculously slow tempo ( I mean slow- play each note for 4 beats @ mm. 48)
Do it in alternations of : Db-Eb-Db (12 counts in total)
and: Eb-Db-Eb (12 counts total)
While doing this you can now focus intensely on the beginnings, transitions and endings of those three note chunks. It has to be exactly perfect. You're going so slow, so there's no reason that it shouldn't be easily achievable.
If it seems crazy...well it probably is. But after after a few 45-minute sessions of playing 3 notes over and over, your fingers and body will get the hint....OK E-FLAT! OK D-FLAT! YOU BETTER WORK OR ELSE.....;)
Good luck - let the gang know how it's going...
D
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