Hello again! 2021 has not been a great year so far for keeping up with etudes or this blog, but I'm determined to get back on track!
Drouet No. 15 was really fun and gave me a really good opportunity to concentrate on my accuracy. I've been adjusting my embouchure slightly over the last couple months, and I'm finding that even though it still takes a lot of thought, I'm able to play big intervals more precisely. I'm also noticing that I can play shorter, crisper articulations with fewer cracks, so I'm glad to be able to demonstrate that in this etude.
And now, some sight-reading:
I'll admit that I didn't practice Drouet No. 16, I just turned on the camera and went for it! I find it really valuable to record myself sight-reading every now and then. It tells me a lot:
- weird posture habits that creep in when my concentration is elsewhere
- problems with my internal metronome
- errors to watch for once I start actually practicing the piece
In this case, I noticed that my biggest problems occurred at phrase endings. There was some rushing, and definitely some final notes that were clipped. And then there was the questionable intonation - C-sharp minor is not the friendliest key!
I'll be trying to incorporate these discoveries into my practice. I want to finish this book soon, so hopefully I'll be back ASAP!
Comments