Its me Gretchen the girl percussionist from the Columbia Orchestra. I just finished looking at your web page on practicing. Some additional things that I know I do is
- listen to recordings of what other people have done (but always be yourself!!!!!!!)
- divide the music up into sections, and learn a section at a time. If I come across apart that is difficult I
- sit down with the music away from my instrument
- "THINK" about the part. What I mean is I sit away from my instrument and say ok here this finger has to go here and this there.
- pick it apart before I have to play it. This makes sure my mind understands that music that is to be performed.
- I then play it very slowly making sure I get everything 100% correct. Bad players are lazy ones that don't take the time to learn things correctly. Learn it slow and then speed it up. (That's why they invented the metronome)
- If you have problems along the way slow it down again and make sure you play it correctly.
One thing I have always stressed about music is, "Being a musician is more than just being a player of dots and lines on a page ...it is the individual person behind those notes that make a person a musician."
I enjoyed reading your notes and hope you have enjoyed mine.
Sincerely,
Gretchen McCracken
Bachelor of Music, Percussion
