Re: Always behind the beat...


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Posted by David on August 14, 2002 at 09:33:30:

In Reply to: Always behind the beat... posted by Matt Chin on August 13, 2002 at 21:12:35:

There has been some good advice but I am of the opinion that they didn't go quite far enough.

One must always anticipate the beat from the back of an organization like a band or an orchestra. You can call it rushing, or playing ahead of the beat, or whatever you want to call it. If you play with the conductor, you will always be behind - always. I learned to play about a quarter of a beat ahead all the time. In a large ensemble, particularly a band, if you do not anticipate and push the beat, the entire ensemble will drag. If you play with a small ensemble, then using your ears to listen to the others all the time will keep you right with them. There is no time delay as with a large ensemble. When the band director said listen years ago in the high school band, he meant it.

Focusing on what happens at the mouthpiece end or the bell end of the horn is a great technical exercise, in my opinion, but is not what playing is all about. If you use your ears to really listen to what is happening, then you will be successful. You will discover that by playing slightly ahead in a band or orchestra works very well. You will also discover that playing slightly ahead in a small ensemble does not work. Use your ears as a tool to make the music come alive.


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