Kansas City Bass Workshop Day 2

Woke up exhausted from day 1- and started this morning with an extra early hour of scale class! Sounds dull, but isn't. In Rabbaths scale cycles, you go through your 3 octave scale 5 times with a focus on a different element each time:

1. Left hand

2. Right hand

3. Coordination of both hands

4. (I've already forgotten this one- maybe tone?)

5. Playing musically through

And for each scale group of five you move through a progression of faster rhythms in the left hand. We did-

1. quarter notes (at 44 I think)

2. Eighths

3. Triplet eighths

4. Sixteenths

5. Half notes

6. Whole notes

Yes, each of those rhythms gets FIVE passes through while you think about the different elements. Our intrepid leader Ted Botsford also led us through other ways of thinking about scales: only using thumb position, doing certain fingering patterns which migrate up as you scale goes up. 

I'll admit that at the hour mark I was very warmed up but also mind was full of ways to use this, and somewhat worn out ears and body from not doing this kind of conditioning regularly. But just like group running or meditation, just being together made it easier and more enjoyable. I love knowing these people, that we're all on a journey to play better and spread the joy of playing our great instrument. 

At François' two classes I attended today, he told some good stories from his life that shed light on intention in practice. Paraphrasing quite a bit, here is the Heifetz story. Rabbath was going to see a movie, and before the main feature, the was a short film about Jascha Heifetz. Rabbath loved the music so much, he wanted to run home and learn it. Then he realized- wait, he's just playing scales, but they're so beautiful and musical I didn't realize it was only scales. He goes home to tell his brother this , and finds him at the piano doing his Czerny etudes, but also reading a book at the same time. He tells us how this was a revelation for him. If you want to be a virtuoso, you need to practice like a virtuoso. (I hear this as, we need to constantly set the intention of playing beautifully and musically, even in the fundamental practicing. )

There's more, but it's late and there's another 8am scales clas with more to learn. I think I may be able to play with Rabbath tomorrow night on his program, but I still haven't seen the music. No sweat, right?!?!

Happy (musical intention filled) practicing

Gaelen 

Widening the road - for all bass players and teachers

Hello Bass friends!

They are about 1/4 done with a project in front of my home to widen the road and add drainage to our otherwise soggy area.  Exciting, no?  And from where I practice in the front of the house, right now I see all kinds of large machinery being hauled by, lots of flagpeople helping to keep the flow of traffic safe, and not much else.  I live pretty far outside of Rochester, and it's very scenic and hilly, which makes for great road biking and running in the warmer months.  So I really enjoy seeing the bicyclists zip by as I practice.   But alas, they are wisely avoiding my road for the rest of summer.  The good news is that the road shoulders will be widened, making it even safer and smoother for our biking community.

Today, however, I am thinking a lot about the upcoming workshop I'm planning - 

Bass Boot Camp at Nazareth College  

We just named the date: Tuesday, August 19th!  And I was thinking about how this one day camp will be about "widening the road" for more ideas and more kinds of bass playing.  It's not always the case that lots of different ideas are welcome at the table, but I want you to know that here it is!  There are so many styles of bass playing, sizes of instruments, kinds of bows and bow grips, types of strings.... you see where I'm going with this?  

Bass playing isn't just one thing, and teaching it isn't either.  So let's widen the road together.  Let's share our ideas, play with them right away on our instruments, and help each other grow as players and teachers.  Save the date August 19, from 9am to 5pm for a friendly and fun day of bass playing and learning together.  A formal announcement and marketing materials will be coming out soon.  I have a great list of teachers and players joining me for this event:

Jeff Campbell - jazz bass professor at the Eastman School of Music

Katie Fittipaldi - Alexander Technique teacher, cello teacher at the Kanack School 

Nicholas Walker - bass professor at Ithaca College

and of course, me too!  Gaelen McCormick, bass instructor at Nazareth College and the Eastman Community Music School

Until we meet again - happy practicing!

Gaelen

Practicing = slow change

Good morning!

I often read the blog by Leo Babauta called "Zen Habits" and really enjoy his insights into meditation and self awareness.  Today's post by Leo is great, and totally applies to the art of practicing.  It is called "The Frustratingly Slow Pace of Change" and while he's talking about exercise or diet most of the time, just replace those words with "practicing" and you'll see how the post applies.

I know there are many teachers reading this blog now, and you may ask: this is great, but how do I help a young player understand that the process is worth it, even when the results take weeks or months to show up in their playing?

I have no idea.

In my studio, I try to help students be aware of the sounds they are making, and connect what physical actions they take that make those sounds.  That way, there's no "bad" sounds, just ways to identify what caused a particular sound (very close to bridge? super firm right hand?) and the sound itself.  Especially in the case of playing extra ponticello, I'll let them know about the times we DO want that sound - Stravinsky, and many of our contemporary composers use that electric sound.

As they develop the ears and self awareness, I'm always hoping they can start to connect this action=this sound.  And I praise them at every new sound/action they can figure out.  Hopefully that helps to keep them going during the months it usually takes to get a great tone the majority of the time.  Remember, great tone isn't one thing, or we'd all have it mastered rather quickly.  We're always compensating for the string length, dynamic, amount of bow we can use on a given note, etc.  It's always a moving target!

Here's Leo's post for your enjoyment:
http://zenhabits.net/slowchange/

Happy practicing!

Gaelen