Saturday, January 7, 2023

"Soft" Practicing

I'm not sure where I got this idea from--I have the vague recollection that Oscar Ghiglia might have said something similar in a master class--but it is a very useful concept. When you are learning new music or re-learning old music you should make use of "soft" practicing. I mean by this a particular approach to how you use your hands, especially the left hand. You should practice slowly, of course, but you should also practice with soft hands. That is, without any tension in the hand to speak of. Approach the notes not only very deliberately, but also very softly, focussing on touch and feeling. Don't slap your fingers down quickly and inaccurately, do the opposite, place them gently and carefully. If you do this many times, then you will have the passage programmed accurately into your muscle memory. The more speed, inaccuracy and tension, the harder this is to do. Don't play loud! Play quietly as well.

Perhaps the greatest failing of guitar students is that they practice too quickly and are very sloppy. The more you do this, the more you inculcate bad habits that will be hard to eradicate later on. I think it was in an interview that Isaac Stern said it is all in how you practice: it might take two hours of careful practice to make up for one hour of bad practice. This kind of practicing does take a lot of focus and concentration and when you feel your concentration going, you should take a break. But I am quite sure that soft practicing will improve your playing!



4 comments:

Steven said...

I'd never heard the idea of practising softly before. Will definitely be trying this!

Will Wilkin said...

I wonder how soft practicing might translate to bowed strings? Probably not so different than on guitar, since you say it is "especially about the left hand." Bring the fingers down gently and carefully...many times, then you will have the passage programmed accurately into muscle memory. Ok, I'll be working on that on my bass viol.

Speaking of guitar practice, my brother plays classical guitar, "not too good" he says to me, though he's more fluent on his instrument than I am on mine (viol and violin), and he's more musical about it. Anyway, we want to try playing together. Bryan could you recommend any duets for guitar and bass viol or guitar and violin (I bought your pieces for guitar and violin and I think they're too hard for us right now...though I'll find what I printed a few years ago and try again!). We live a couple hours apart so our goal is to pick a few duets and learn our parts for a few weeks then get together and try playing together. Any suggestions?

Bryan Townsend said...

I hesitate to offer any advice to bowed string players as they are centuries ahead of we guitarists, technique-wise. But yes, as far as the left hand goes, the basic principle should be the same.

Apart from my compositions for violin and guitar, I have done a bunch of transcriptions that I would be happy to send you. Some are Shostakovich (short pieces), some Debussy and a number from Rameau and Couperin. You might look around for something from Marin Marais.

Will Wilkin said...

Totally interested! We had a little email correspondence almost 5 years ago, so I hope you're still using that email because I just sent you a note!