First, keep shoulders and arms as relaxed as possible when practicing. Don't tighten up. Rhythm should be steady and even. Start with a slow tempo and gradually increase the tempo.
Divide your piece into "links," like chain links, either 1-, 2-, and/or 4-beats or 1-, 2-, and/or 4-measures. Divide 16th notes into beats; divide quarter and eighth notes into measures.
Start with short links and master the rhythm and notes for each link. Using a metronome will help you keep the rhythm steady.
Play the link from the first note through the first note of the next link. In this way, you are linking the them. Repeat over and over, using the metronome set at a slow tempo, until that link is mastered.
Keeping the slow tempo, expand the link, from 1-beat to 2-beats or from 2-beat links to 4-beat links, and so on.
Showing posts with label Metronome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Metronome. Show all posts
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
How to Practice with a Metronome
Here are some simple guidelines in practicing with a metronome:
1. Practice one phrase at a time.
2. Start with a slow tempo.
3. At first, practice playing hands separately.
4. Once you've mastered separate hands, play phrase with both hands.
5. Once you can play the phrase well at the slow speed, gradually increase tempo a notch or two at a time.
6. Repeat process.
7. Always keep the rhythm and notes even and steady.
8. Relax shoulders and arms when you play.
9. Work on individual phrases, slow to fast tempo, and then begin practicing them together in the same slow-to-fast routine.
1. Practice one phrase at a time.
2. Start with a slow tempo.
3. At first, practice playing hands separately.
4. Once you've mastered separate hands, play phrase with both hands.
5. Once you can play the phrase well at the slow speed, gradually increase tempo a notch or two at a time.
6. Repeat process.
7. Always keep the rhythm and notes even and steady.
8. Relax shoulders and arms when you play.
9. Work on individual phrases, slow to fast tempo, and then begin practicing them together in the same slow-to-fast routine.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Video #17 How to Play Hanon Exercises
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF1_zGpwbPQ
How do you effectively practice Hanon exercises? Check out this Robert Estrin video. Some of the points he covers include:
1. Always use a metronome. Start with a setting of 60.
2. It's all about finger strength. Use only the fingers, not the arms.
3. Keep fingers raised.
4. Once you've gone through this exercise several times at 1 note to a beat, move on to 2 notes to a beat, still with fingers raised.
5. Next, move on to 4 notes to a beat. There's no time to raise fingers now. Fingers close to the keys. ROUNDED hands.
6. Practice Hanon every day--focusing on one exercise a week.
7. After you've gone through the first 10 exercises, you're ready to move on to scales and arpeggios.
How do you effectively practice Hanon exercises? Check out this Robert Estrin video. Some of the points he covers include:
1. Always use a metronome. Start with a setting of 60.
2. It's all about finger strength. Use only the fingers, not the arms.
3. Keep fingers raised.
4. Once you've gone through this exercise several times at 1 note to a beat, move on to 2 notes to a beat, still with fingers raised.
5. Next, move on to 4 notes to a beat. There's no time to raise fingers now. Fingers close to the keys. ROUNDED hands.
6. Practice Hanon every day--focusing on one exercise a week.
7. After you've gone through the first 10 exercises, you're ready to move on to scales and arpeggios.
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