The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1903-08-05
| MUSICAL CORN[R!! ,
,.,, "a violin Maker <
by THOMPSON, and Teacher
Primary Teaching.
Getting Pupils to Practice.)

ne DeSu Teaching Cdhiio' h'"N' - "
liant musical performer without the
earnest cooperation of the pupii.
Teachers point the way, but the progress
depends largely upon the pupils own
work. All pupils should be shown. at
the start, how to practice. As to length
of time, for juveniles, advise half
hours practice, daily, for the first few
months: after that an hour, divided into
two half-h hours at different times OF the
day. The first half-hour can easily be
used for exercises and scales. Pupils
must count aloud while playing their
first studies. and always in practiclng
new work. When certain degree of
steadiness and certainty is acquired, |
allow them to discontinue counting
aloud, where the rhythm is simple, and
[ assist them to count everything men
tally; but the moment they are faced
with difficult passage | urge counting
aloud again. That there may be harm
full effects. in excess of counting aloud.
| admit, and teachers must exercise then
Judgment regarding both this and the
use of the metronome.
When pupil Il refer to beginner,
of course) reads a new exercise. or study,
at his lesson, let him first play the left
hand part alone. then the right hand
part. and after that both parts together.
| frequently give young pupils study
to read and work up" by themselves,
for next lesson, impressing upon them
to begin each hand alone, then both to-
gether, always remembering to pick out
the hard places" for special practice.
At the next lesson | expect lingering and
time to be correct, as well as the read
ing of the notes Knowing this. they
acquire the habit of working carefully.
No book is needed for the first several
lessons. but | usually give one to child
rem at once: they feel more important
when they carry book home from the
first lesson.
All pupils should be trained. from the
start. to listen to their own playing
to listen as they would to the playing of
another. advocate the giving of little
pieces. very frequently. to children. By
means of them the cultivation of mus
zeal feeling. or expression. may be begun
very early. Scales must be made inter
esting. as they can be when taught in
all their variety. Begin with Il long.
full tone. for each note of the scale, call
ing it legato. Follow this with little
more speed making the touch lighter and
explain that thi, is more delicate lc-
cato; then pass on the Staccato work.
The words legato and ,taccato. | find,
are remembered by little one, more read
lily if | use the word long with legato,
pointing out that both words begin with
|; and short with staccato, both words
beginning with :. ! explain. at the same
as well a, short. After pupils can play
scales with good legato touch, and also
,taccato. both slowly and rapidly, in
troduce accent and the different tempos
"a. A. etc. Next | introduce shading
"a very gradual crescendo going up, and
decrescendo going down, and vice versa.
Never use book for scales. Teach both
the harmonic and melodic minors. I
approve of the teachers illustrating all
varieties of scale work Show the pu-
pills how each variety should be practiced
for the best results. No amount of talk
ing can show a pupil how liquid the
sound OF some scale playing should be.