Practicing Weissenborn Study #21, Part B
Weissenborn Opus 8/2, Study #21, Part B for advanced bassoon students. The toolbox and a summary of practice tools, followed by a performance of Study #21.
Comments
Weissenborn Opus 8/2, Study #21 for advanced bassoon students. By Terry B. Ewell, Bassoon Digital Professor. BDP #129b
The original transcript is available here.
Videos
Captions are unavailable. The complete transcript follows.
Chapters
Transcript
0:00Reflection: Maslow's Hammer and the Practice Toolbox
I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.—Abraham Maslow Reference: Abraham H. Maslow (1966), The Psychology of Science, p. 15. As quoted from Law of the Instrument. ---
0:13A Toolbox Full of Practice Methods
So far in the studies we have already considered many tools for practicing. In this reflection I present the notion of a toolbox full of methods for practicing the bassoon. ---
0:25Why One Practice Method Is Not Enough
Abraham Maslow’s quotation about the hammer illuminates the absurdity of trying to fix every problem with a single tool. Likewise by now you should understand that the difficulties presented in the Weissenborn studies will not be fixed with a single approach to practicing. ---
0:46Choosing the Right Tool for the Problem
You need to have a “tool box” filled with practice solutions for different problems. You also need to have the wisdom to know which tool can be used to fix the problem. Hopefully you are beginning to understand the application of some of the tools I have presented in the last 20 studies. More tools are yet to come! ---
1:12Inventory of Practice Tools
Here for instance is an inventory of some the practice tools in my box with some references: ---
1:25Metronome, Rhythms, Subdivisions, and Drones
- A metronome for beat displacement, accuracy, tempo, and timing (Weissenborn #22, BDP #130) - Rhythms (Weissenborn #24, BDP #132) - Subdivisions (this study, BDP #129) - Drones (Weissenborn #1, BDP #109) ---
1:45Rubato, Vibrato, Trills, and Endurance
- Rubato drives (Music in Motion, BDP #100) - Vibrato drives (Music in Motion, BDP #100) - Trill practice (Weissenborn #37, BDP #145) - Endurance exercises (“Wind Performer’s Guide to Increasing Endurance”) ---
1:53Mirror and Recording Device
- A mirror (Weissenborn #2, BDP #110) - A recording device, which could be an app on your phone or computer ---
2:02Alternate Fingerings
- Alternate fingerings such as those in the Bassoon Family Fingering Companion ---
2:14Segmentation and Sprints
- Segmentation (Weissenborn #11, BDP #119) - And sprints (Weissenborn #11, BDP #119) --- ## PERFORMANCE
2:21Performance of Study #21
Performance of Weissenborn Study #21. --- ## ADDITIONAL TRANSCRIPT TEXT The following concluding reflection text was supplied in the source transcript, but it does not occur as spoken text in the supplied English SBV timing file and therefore has no SBV-derived timestamp. It is critical that you use the right tool for the right problem and then devote the practice time needed for mastery. In addition, use all of these tools to develop your musical acuity, that is, the ability to understand and hear all aspects of music. Develop your musical ear and your musical imagination not just technical facility. The goal is to be a musician not a machine. ---
Credits
- author Terry B. Ewell
- composer Julius Weissenborn