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