[BAROQUE-LUTE] Re: Rank Amateur Recording # 3 Newish direction

[Ed Durbrow]

On Feb 22, 2008, at 7:46 PM, Alan Hoyle wrote:
So... might I ask if anyone out there can suggest good ways of  
spending the
first half hour or so of practice time so that, like Anthony, I  
don't have
to spend all my precious playing time trying prevent my playing
deteriorating once again, but might actually see some progress.

First of all, I'd say be your own teacher. Nobody knows better than  
your self what your hands need. It is a matter of tuning in to your  
body, knowing your weak points and finding ways to exercise them.

There have been some hand outs at LSA seminars of exercises by Paul  
Odette and Robert Barto. There are probably many finger exercises  
available on the web for guitarists that could be adapted for lute.

You can take almost anything from any piece and make an exercise out  
of it. One thing I  would recommend is to play just the right hand  
alone and work on a passage, paying attention to what the fingers are  
doing, tone, attack, relaxation, speed etc. You can make a pattern of  
it and do it on different strings. Then do that with the left hand.  
Circle the problem spots in a piece, extract them and make exercises  
out of them. Do NOT look at the music! Look at your hand (one at a  
time), then don't look at your hand and do it with your eyes closed,  
maintaining a relaxed and upright posture.

I'm starting to go on a bit. I'll shut up. I'm sure others will have  
lots of suggestions.

Oh, one other thing. The mother of all teachers is a recording device.

Ed Durbrow
http://www9.plala.or.jp/edurbrow/luteinfo.html
Saitama, Japan
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www9.plala.or.jp/edurbrow/




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