Quote:
Originally Posted by Enzo  Hi Patrick,
thanks for your replies, it's all good!
I have a question around the amount of practice (as well as the quality!) that you would recommend for a novice, eg. 15m on scales, 15m on arpeggios until proper intonation is achieved before moving on? I appreciate it depends on your final goal, but as a "general rule"?
Also, do you recommend playing along with software (such as Band in a Box) to make practice more enjoyable, particularly with arpeggios, and to check intonation, especially when bowing?
Many thanks |
Great question! Yes, practice is just about the only way to improve!
And scales and arpeggios make up music.... so it seems totally logical to practice scales and arpeggios! Here's MY time: First each practice session is different. I get bored easily, so I do the routine differently every time, but I try to get in enough time on most all "needs." So, warm-up of improvisations, stretching, and "natural tempo" techniques that warm my muscles WITHOUT practicing, then 15 to 35 minutes of scales, 15- 35 minutes of arpeggios, usually combined and IMPROVISED! (I rarely read from scale or arpeggio books), 15-35 minutes of etudes (yes I STILL play Storch-Hrabe and Findeisen!), 35-120 minutes of solo materials, warm-down of scales/arps 10-20 minutes. Most practice sessions for me (since I was about 12 years old) go from 2 to 4 hours. 1.5 hours being minimum. I have attempted Rabbath recommendations of two hours of scales and arps without stopping. I can do it, but then I have no energy for other things.
Do practice in cycles: I recommend reading lots of etudes in a cyclical manner: Monday: etudes 1 and 2, Tues: 3 & 4, Wed 5&6, Thurs 1&2, Fri 3$4, etc. Or pick a day and a key: Monday-Dminor, Tues-C#Major, etc. Keep it fresh by integrating sight-reading at least once a week.
Intonation problems are not always fixed by just doing scales/arps over and over. One must realize that intonation is personal and is based on how well you hear, how well you reference the tonic(s), and how critical you are about your motions over the space and time. Motion analysis is critical to proper intonation. Observing your forms and motions while playing scales and arps is one of the best ways to improve intonation and promote facility.
Finally, one should "listen" to pain. If you are in pain at any time or in any movement, it is your body telling you something. So DO you know what it is saying? Rarely should a person continue to play in the same manner "through the pain." But there are times when an isolated nerve jolt is only telling you that you have never done that form or motion before and perhaps a continued try IS necessary in order to learn the technique. So, listen to your body, observe like crazy, and analyze the shapes and motions for efficiency and accuracy.
More on this can be found in past threads of this forum.
Best! And Happy New Year!!
PN
