The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-10-22
The Amateurs Guide
By J. c. Halls.

By J. c. Halls
Perseverance and application are the
great essentials in the requirement of
any art. He who begins right, and
with will, accomplishes his task with
| comparative ease and rapidity just as
the foundations of structure are laid
so will it stand. Little things make
great ones. Every brick or stone or
piece of wood in a structure has its
value in forming the great whole, and is
not to be sighted because it is little
Do not skip over a few pages of your
lesson book, trying at once to play. In
| music, as IN every art the details, that
is, the little things, must be respected
and studied. This is laying the founda-
| ton.
In number OF our large cities the
foundation of great sky-scrapers are
| laid by separate workmen, who do Moth
ing but dig great sockets in the ground
and fill them so securely with concrete
and steel that the huge building above
will be locked to the earth in the most
| secure manner known. The importance
| of laying an unshakable foundation in
music study with the beginner is so vital
that not the least little thing should be
overlooked.
Strive to play easy pieces well and
beautiful; it is far better than to render
harder pieces only indiherently well
and when you are playing, never trouble
yourself about who is listening; always
play as If master heard you.
Good scale playing is one of the real
| foundations for an even, satisfactory
! and musician-like performance, as its
beauty consists in equality, roundness
and uninterrupted continuity. No one
can hope to become good player who
| does not devote many hours each week
to the practice of scales. In scale play
ing there should not be the slightest ap-
| pearance OF hurrying or OF hesitation
no tone should be more prominent than
| another, except when it is so intended.
| Too much cannot be said concerning
| scale-playing, as the greatest perform
ers never discontinue the practice OF
scales.
Before commencing to play compo-
sition of any kind, be it a scale, exer-
! else, or the simplest little melody, first
| look at the key signature, then the time
SIGNATURE read the notes and observe
if there are any special signs, marks,
etc, in the body OF the piece; if so,
make special note of them. 1t is i'm
portant that you should acquire the
habit of reading music ahead of your
playing, as this is the only way III which
you will be able to read music rapidly.
You should be able to tell at glance
| just what each measure contains, and
while playing that measure, look what
| the next one contains. Do not hesitate
to form this habit from the very begin
ming; it will become very simple if be-
gun at the early lessons.
Always play in time. On all occa-
sions the greatest care should be taken
to conform to a certain standard OF
time. Scales and exercises should be
practiced in strict time. First, play at
a slow tempo or gait. until the fingers
become accustomed TO their work, but
always in time, evenness and accent
with due regards. In counting, or play
ing in time, the metronome is a very
useful guide; if you have no metro
nome, use the tick of the clock as a
tempo guide, letting each tick repre-
sent one beat Form the habit of this
also right from the beginning, as time
| is perception that must be cultivated,
and which can only be perfected by the
greatest of care.
| lACQ llOulS SllOulQ dlSO DC dppOlllCQ
| for practice. 1t ought not to be said
that pupil should practice one, two,
three, or more hours each day, but the
time for so doing should be fixed.
Should you have but one hour each day
to devote to practice, let that hour be
fixed. Frequently, that which is left
from one day to the next to be done
at an uncertain time is often left IN
done, and if done at all IS often done
imperfectly
1t is not good to practice immediate
ly after meals. Any other time is bet
ter. Do not practice too long at time
during the first year; a few minutes
each day may be sufficient; perhaps an
hour and possibly two hours may be
required. However. it should be kept
in mind that young children should not
wear themselves out by long lessons or
practice