How to practice?

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NutmegCT
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How to practice?

Post by NutmegCT »

My progress is ridiculously slow! So I thought maybe I'm not practicing efficiently.

Here's what I've been doing, as example #26 from the Darr (attached).

With both hands in position, I play melody (only) several times slowly, then increase speed until I can play the entire melody without looking at the fingers.

Now I set my right hand fingers on the accompaniment strings for the first chord - G). I play the chord (without melody) about ten times, until I can repeat it without looking at the fingers.

Then I do the second chord (in this case, D), same way. Then the G as written (once), then the D as written (once), then back and forth, then G, D, C, and back to G. Etc. But each change of chord only happens correctly if I look at my fingers to be sure they've moved to the right strings.

Should I be able to play those chords without looking at the strings? In other words, by "feel"? I'd sure like to, but it's not happening.

When I try combining melody with accompaniment, I stumble every few notes, trying to keep all fingers under control and in the right position over the melody strings and the written chords.

Help is appreciated! I can link a video if anyone asks, but it would be painful to watch.

How do you learn a new piece when you're just learning the techniques?

Thanks.
Tom M.
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Darr #26
Darr #26
IMG_0089.JPG (144.17 KiB) Viewed 1088 times
kenbloom
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Re: How to practice?

Post by kenbloom »

Hi Tom,

What you are doing is good but then you need to get it all combined. When I was doing the Darr book I did exactly what you are doing and then I went back and checked out which fingers on the right hand plucked together and which ones were by themselves. You go through each bar and get the thumb hooked up with a bass note and so on. I would do a single bar until it felt comfortable and then go on to the second bar. Then I would go back and do the two bars together, again until they felt comfortable. By the time you get to the fourth bar doing that you have the basic moves of the finger ballet down and can move along. You will also have it memorized. This is a case where the slowest way is the fastest way. Go for as much clarity as you can. Speed is simply a matter of doing the same move a thousand times so that it becomes part of your DNA. Hope this helps.

Ken Bloom
http://www.boweddulcimer.org
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Dave
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Re: How to practice?

Post by Dave »

Tom, part of the issue may be your right hand position — your right hand should not be floating above the strings, if that is what I’m seeing in the follow-up video you posted. That would, I suspect, make it more difficult to keep your place when playing. Take a look at the illustrations in the Taborsky method and note how the edge of the palm rests on the bridge of instrument.

http://www.zither.us/files/taborsky_zither_method.pdf
We do not take humor seriously enough. —Konrad Lorenz
NutmegCT
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Re: How to practice?

Post by NutmegCT »

Dave - sorry for being dense, but which video of mine are you referring to?

Thanks.
Tom M.
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Dave
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Re: How to practice?

Post by Dave »

Hi Tom, it would be this one:

https://youtu.be/fQ1hvN-OuSQ
We do not take humor seriously enough. —Konrad Lorenz
NutmegCT
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Re: How to practice?

Post by NutmegCT »

OK - thanks. Actually my RH fingers don't hover as far as I can tell. They're always in contact with the strings.

But I'll try keeping edge of the palm on the bridge, and see how that goes.

Tom M.
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