Good?!

[TheTuba]

So I took a recording of me sight reading vocalise

I had to take it down a octave a couple of times because it was too high.

I pme'd a person on how to keep a even consistent tone throughout registers

And this video is so you guys can address my faults and how to fix them

after hearing this video, can you help me?

(by the way, this recording was taken by phone!)

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... sp=sharing" target="_blank


-Raghul

[Mark]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WV9lV78rwk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rrkae_ok8Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW630zFA93Y

[TheTuba]

Thank you Mark, But I was sightreading it and am not competing with it. The video was a example of how my high range sounds, so you guys can give better advice.

Thanks again, Fossi sounds great!
-Raghul

[Mark]

Thank you Mark, But I was sightreading it and am not competing with it. The video was a example of how my high range sounds, so you guys can give better advice.

Thanks again, Fossi sounds great!
-Raghul

So, if you listened to these, what do you think about your playing?

[bone-a-phone]

Well, the vibrato sounds robotic. Decrease the vibrato. Only use it for the last 1/3 of longer notes. Maybe decrease its amplitude as well.

Your volume is incredibly consistent. It should vary to add some musical interest.

The biggest thing is your attacks between notes. Most of your note changes involved some sort of split note. I thought I heard a double buzz at some point.

And then time can vary on a solo like this, but only in service to the music, not to accommodate things you're having trouble executing.

Breathing should be linked to phrasing.

Really, listen to the recordings Mark listed, and try to emulate those.

But most of all- get yourself a real teacher, not a bunch of internet critics. Get a real teacher, and do what he/she says. They will be in the best position to help you improve. Maybe play duets with a friend from time to time. Play in a quintet, an orchestra, german band, or a dixieland group.

[MaryAnn]

I have a brother who is quite competent on the piano. When he was younger he studied and practiced a lot, and the comment he always got was that he was not playing musically. He really was unable to figure it out, and at one point asked me what did it mean to play musically, and how do you do it. I know he can HEAR it or he wouldn't love music so much, but having music (as opposed to notes) come out of you is more natural for some than others. I said, physically, it is variations in tempo, rhythm, touch, and volume (on the piano; no vibrato on piano.) I would second the advice to get a teacher if you can, and listen, listen, listen to the recordings that were recommended. The fact that you sound somewhat mechanical is more important than your high range at this point in time. If you want to know how to play the entire range physically, look up Roger Lewis's posts on how to play range, read them carefully, then incorporate.

[TheTuba]

Thank you for the replies!

You guys haven't mentioned it (which is good), but I feel like my high range is lacking. After hearing a couple of videos from mark, it feels very tense, like a storm that's about to break (well in my case notes). I can't support my sound up there with air because of the pressure. Is there any way to remedy this?

I'll try to work on my attacks, which is bad now that its pointed out.

Thanks!
-Raghul

[Mark]

First, read this: Trapping a Melodic Line: Rachmaninoff’s Melancholy “Vocalise”. Then decide if playing the higher parts down an octave fits the author's notion of "attempting to escape".

Then try this: get some staff paper or download a free staff paper template and print it out. Write out the first five measures of the Racmaninoff, stopping with the end of the phrase in the fifth measure. Write this out in every key, starting an octave lower that what is written in your part and moving up chromatically through each key until you get back to the starting key an octave higher.

Starting on the lowest transposition, play that until it sounds as close to the recordings, musically, as you can get it. Once you do that, move up a half step to the next transposition. Do no more than one key a day and be serious about making it musical. It should take you at least a couple of weeks before you get back to the original key and octave. Then tell us if your musicality and range have improved.

BTW, is this work in a major or minor key?

[Ken Herrick]

The easy way to follow Marks good suggestion: follow this link and writing and transposing will be quick and easy.
Key it in once then transpose into all keys. This is a good way to move other things you can play comffortably into more testing territory.


https://musescore.org/en/download" target="_blank

[Donn]

He really was unable to figure it out, and at one point asked me what did it mean to play musically, and how do you do it.

Oh yeah. I think about this some myself - no one has offered that complaint about my playing, but I know it could be better. Actually thinking more about the accordion here (sorry), an instrument that I picked up kind of late in life and then was kind of thrust into a performance situation. I find myself kind of waking up to the musical potential, and it has been a couple years that I've been playing in public.

While I suppose you could analyze more and less musical performances, and describe measurable differences, I think that misses the point. That's not a way to play musically, it's a way to copy with greater fidelity the playing of people who really do play musically. And I think you're right, it isn't unreasonable to hope that anyone who cares about (listening to) music, has a latent potential to make it. But the way we learn to play, typically, is one of the hurdles that a musician needs to overcome. As long as the mechanics of making the notes are a problem, it isn't going to happen, and endless "learning" with difficult material puts layers and layers of futility over that musical nature that we hope might take over some day. "Play in [some kind of group]", someone said earlier - and ain't it the truth. Play easy stuff well.

[fenne1ca]

But most of all- get yourself a real teacher, not a bunch of internet critics. Get a real teacher, and do what he/she says. They will be in the best position to help you improve. Maybe play duets with a friend from time to time. Play in a quintet, an orchestra, german band, or a dixieland group.

This, a thousand times. Even if it’s just occasional one-on-one time with your band director or other trained musician, the best growth will come from mentorship - someone who knows you and can guide your development over time.

[Mark]

The easy way to follow Marks good suggestion: follow this link and writing and transposing will be quick and easy.
Key it in once then transpose into all keys. This is a good way to move other things you can play comffortably into more testing territory.


https://musescore.org/en/download" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

It may be easier; but writing it out by hand is a better learning experience.

I wonder if he ever did either?

[Ken Herrick]

GOOD question, Mark, I've been wondering that myself. No argument with your thought about the learning experience either.

Using something like musescore can be good for transposing a lot of other material where excersises in one key are easy but become more challenging in others.