Four hundred years later, J. B. Besardo's advice still rings true! On Sep 10, 2010, at 12:07 PM, Daniel Winheld wrote:
>> I have another take on this. Study slowly and precisely. Streamlining >> the motion of both hands. In other words, know what the fingers do, >> get rid of superfluous movements and work on muscle memory. Slowly, >> don't speed up. Don't fall into the trap of studying your mistakes. >> Chop the runs into groups of 4 notes (or whatever is appropriate) and >> think of each group of four notes as a unit. Study the unit. String >> the units together. The speed up. This can go remarkably fast, the >> speeding up that is. I think it has to do, my theory anyway, with how >> fast we can think. Speeding up the metronome, but remainign to think >> about every note individually, will have an upper limit in thinking, >> an upper limit in control. When thinking of four notes as one unit, we >> can suddenly think, or control, the music at quadruple speed. >> >> David > > "...it is most necessarie to handle the lute often, yet never but > when thy genius favours thee, that is, when thou feelest thyself > inclyned to musicke: For there is a certaine natural disposition, for > learning the arts naturally infused into us, and shewing in us rather > at one time than another, which if one will provoke by immoderate > labor, he shall fight against Nature. Therefore when thou shalt finde > thy selfe aptlie disposed, and hast time and opportunitie, spare no > paynes, yet keepe this course. > > Chuse one lesson thy selfe according to thy capacitie, which give not > over by looking over others, or straggling from one to another, till > thou have got it reasonably perfect, and doe not onely beginne it by > going through it to the end at first sight, but EXAMINE EACH PART OF > IT DILIGENTLY, AND STAY UPON ANY ONE POINT (THOUGH THOU PLAY IT OVER > A THOUSAND TIMES) until thou get it in some sort. The like you shall > doe in all parts of the said song, till you shall finde your selfe > prettily seene in it. > > ..I dare promise you faithfully and without deceit, that nothing is > more fit to second this businesse than patience in the beginning: for > nothing can be gotten in an instant, and you must not thinke to play > your lessons presently (perfectly?) at first sight, for that is > impossible. Wherefore take no other care but onely to strike all the > Griffes (chords?) and Notes and notes that are in the middle betwixt > them well and plainely, though slowly: for within a while, whether > you will or no, you will get a habit of swiftness. Neither can you > get that cleere expressing of Notes, unlesse you doe use your selfe > to that in the beginning; which cleane delivery every man that > favours Musicke, doth farre preferre before all the swiftness and > unreasonable noyse that can be. > > Take this for a farewell: that this divine Art, which at this time is > by so great men followed, ought to be used by thee with that great > gracefulnesse which is fit for learned men to use, and with a kinde > of majestie: yea, so that thou have any skill in it be not ashamed at > the request of honest friends to shew thy cunning: but if thou > chancest to get an habit of perfection, prophane not the Goddesse, > with making thy selfe cheape for a sleight gaine." > > Dr. J.B. Besardo, "Varietie of Lute Lessons" 1610 > -- > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
