Practice: 3/25/11

Still... no new music... so today let's talk about Cheesecake....

Like with Chameleon, I'm having some tempo issues. I don't feel like I'm locking with the rest of the band, but there's not actual reading this time... so I figure that'll come with time. So technique wise, this one doesn't feel as intimidating as Chameleon... so today I think I went through it. Instead of recapping the technical trials and tribulations, I'll go over my stylistic practice. So, from the outset, we have swing. So It's swing.

Dexter Gordon's original Cheesecake has far more "class" than this big band arrangement. That's not necessarily a good thing though. It's slower... This Big Band version feels far more... Showy? As though you could have it on broadway as opposed to having it in a club. Of course so in today's case it just means I have to figure out where I swing and where I bring in and out the dynamic level because every instrument needs their time to shine. Measures 11-21 are pretty important to bring out, whereas the fist eight are primarily there to help the trumpets. That's just my interpretation. So I'll just keep going from there...

Practice: 3/19/11

Well... Festival's over, and I haven't gotten new musics, so aside from the occasional Jazz work, I don't really feel too motivated to go out and find some ridiculously complex piece to play... or doing things by ear (I've got Rocky Balboa down...). So, in these times, I hopefully await for the next class in which we may possibly get some piece, be it good or bad. I'm not really sure.

So, for today's 1/2 an hour~ish I decided it's time to pull out the ol' Rubank book and work on some scales... as exciting as that is.

Obviously, I work my way through all the flat scales-adding flats as I go Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-and so forth... until you have seven flats. I've also discovered that when playing scales, any note I play in first tends to be sharp or flat (more on the flat side as of today), so I try to avoid using first for the sake of tuning. It's an interesting result, as in doing so, I realize the over-reliance on muscle memory for scales--which is not good? I'm not really sure

After going through all the flat-major scales (I'm not feeling too sharp today). I also took a look at my minor scales. I just played melodic scales because that's what I'm used to. Tone's still flat. Also, I realized I need to work on lip-slurs more. they're a pretty good warm-up.

Practice: 3/9/11

Did I ever mention that I think Chameleon's are cool?

***

Well, the way things are, I'm not making it to Band Festival. So, I will opt to practice the other mucic I have (and will likely never master): Jazz. Well, Jazz and things associated with Jazz Band. So, today's focus is of course Chameleon.

So, today's focus is the first page because you have to finish the first to get to the second. At first I had an issue grasping the tempo (because when you see sixteenth notes, usually the word "fast" is associated w/ it) but, it's not terribly fast once you get a grip on it. So the main difference between 1st and second part is that the first part gets to play at the beginning section of the song. This means I have to not mess up. Parts like measure 12, or that recurring phrase at measure 19 tend to mess me up since... well, I don't usually play the sixteenths in strings of more than 2 (and even then usually it's just repeating). But 12 is pretty easy once the tongue-work in down.

19 was the first issue of today, but once you remember that you're playing that w/ the rest of the band, it's not AS bad. The issue it that there's no rest or break, so I have to take it all straight, and while fairly scalar as far as the movement goes ( in a "U" shape pretty much), it's a tad harder for me than I thought. But after doing it... over and over... I got it... sorta. (can't miss that staccato)

The Last thing is that section that starts at measure 34. where I just feel like I'm playing a bass line (and pretty much am). Here's where I start to feel some FUNK. It actually looks a lot harder than it is, but I have an issue in that... well I need to avoid going into Auto-pilot... because well, that's not good, since it just repeats... that means I have to make it consistent...

But as for today, page one: 48% done (basics)

Practice: 3/4/11

(Insert Clever/Distracting Picture here)

***

Well, break was last week, so I'm assuming I didn't have to post a blog for that.

Anyways, with that off chance that I might go to band festival, I figure that I might as well continue from where I last left off. Scales, Scales and Scales. That and working on ~137 on Prairies Songs. There's a lot going on there.

So, that particular section has a few issues: Rhythm, phrasing.... intonation... everything. But before I worry about that stuff specifically, I have to worry about actually being able to play the darn thing. Which as of today (by working through it slowly... very.... slowly) I have effectively completely accomplished. That's good... good....

NOW, it is time to worry about all the musical parts (i.e. the important parts), I think I'll start with phrasing because you need an idea of where you're going first. If I'm not mistaken, everything in my part is to build to measure 137, were the main motif likes to rear its head and shine through (well~kinda).

As for the March... his honor demands dynamics. everything else is set. Same thing with Chant Rituals. Dynamics are key... that and style.