h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I tend to walk down the street singing either major sevenths or diminished fifths.

That's a good way! I used to go down the road singing the British national anthem on the off-beat (step-God-step-save-step-our etc).

NB I'm not British but I was in school in England at the time, and . . . it's a jolly good tune for the purpose.

Try it. It's not easy. "-cious" has to be *on* a step.

Later I found a perfect example of the same trick in a Felix the Cat film. Felix walks along exactly out of step to the tune

|s_l_:d'___|s_l_:r___|s_sl:d'_l_|s_l_:r___

so that it sounds as though it should be barred

s_|l_d'_:__s_|l_r_:__s_|sld'_:l_s_|l_r_:__

and there is absolutely no way of telling which way the composer wrote it, or whether it was

s_l_|d'___:s_l_|r___:s_sl|d'_l_:s_l_|r___

For those who don't follow my sol-fa, the salient point is that the note after a barline (|) is accented.

Hi Recumbentman,

I've been following this subject with great interest since I chanced upon it yesterday. I've been an aspiring pianist for many decades now and still have a long way to go, simply because the literature of classical music is so vast. I wonder if we could get into a specific piece of music and discuss how it should be practised and brought up to performance level (albeit amateur level)?

Well hello 'Fonly-Idapa and welcome to the discussion.

I'm not really offering a homework-assistance service here, just gathering material for a proposed Guide Entry on the subject. I'm deliberately avoiding a specific instrument, and indeed genre, but it has the amateur instrumetalist playing from staff notation vaguely in mind.

But tell us what is the piece and what are your problems, and you might get some helpful answers. Maybe you haven't a piece in mind and want help with choosing one? That's a bit distant from this topic, I would say . . .
but stay aboard and keep asking!

Just noticed I'd got a note wrong in Felix's song. It went

s_l_|d'___:s_l_|d___:s_sl|d'_l_:s_l_|r___ (my idea of the probable barring)

-- and he was walking up and down being shadowed (pantomime-style) by an elephant who hid whenever Felix turned round. Felix commented "This used to be a quiet neighbourhood".

Sorry about your parental deprivation 'Fonly-Idapa (just deciphered).

[Suggested Ending]

Even in cultures where the individuality of the performer is not particularly valued, there is a lot of difference between hearing the music of an adept and the music of a middling performer. It is as though the expert player is one that has found a living balance between all the elements of a piece. And what are the elements of a piece? Looking at a score, it might appear to be the quavers and crotchets and hemidemisemiquavers; but these are just the pixels. If that's all you learn you'll end up with a photograph, not a performance. Music best expresses motion; and a well-coordinated piece moves like a lithe animal. Certain parts are rigid and bony, others are dynamic and muscular, others are fringes that float in the air, or heavy appendages like hooves and horns that alter the balance of all the rest.

Ravel was famously fascinated by machines, and he conducted with an unvarying mechanical beat; yet his music gives performers freedom to indulge in sinuous luxury, which it is just wrong to ignore. There are groups all over continental Europe playing Irish traditional music, learnt from recordings; and yet at present it is still possible to tell instantly a group that learns this way, since a certain flexibility in the ornamentation is missing. The elements of a piece of music must be found out in practice.

Remember, no matter how magical music is (and it truly is!) there is nothing so magical, in the known physical universe, as a human being. So however much you gain from getting to the core of a piece of music, the music has, if anything, even more to gain from getting to the core of you.

I'm no musician but that's with me

Indeed. You have to learn the music, not the notes.

Sorry this Entry is so long coming together. I'm on the job, and everyone's is in my file, but I need a longish session to beat it into shape.

Latest thoughts:

Problem passage -- think it ten times then play it once. When you can play it ten times in a row smoothly and comfortably, re-incorporate it into the piece.

How to relax -- touch but do not press the keys/strings; tap gently (and obviously silently). Specially good for fretted instruments.

To avoid boredom -- live dangerously. Almost drop the instrument (plectrum or bow). Pianists, barely tickle the keys and imagine you are weightless and in danger of floating to the ceiling. Play silently and hear it in your imagination.

Playing in ensembles with very much more limited players is invaluable -- expand your consciousness, almost forget which line you are playing (listen to your part with as much detachment as the others'). This is the time for wonderful tone enhancement (beauty not volume).

Teaching a beginner is an excellent learning method, as happyhappygirl says. Once I asked a friend how long did it take him to learn some nifty piece, and he replied "actually I never learnt it; I taught it".

super!
If you are a flute player tap the keys but don't blow, very relaxing.(must be very quiet when you do this)

To relieve bordom, practise majorettes with your instrument (another flute player tip)

What do you do to the majorettes?

Oh I get it, throw the flute in the air and catch it. I used to do that with my conducting baton. Very good for relaxation and acquiring a light but secure hold. Batons are cheap though . . .

Its more like spinning it around in your hand. Throwing it is a little dangerous, not just for the instrument but for your head too!

Well it's gone in at A2338616.

I went through this thread to credit all my co-researchers; if I've left you out, tell me! Unless you just came to ask a question, like Crunchy Frog and 'Fonly Idapa (as far as I can remember).

Wish us luck! I'll see you in Peer Review!