🎨 From correct to musical
Getting the notes right is only the doorway, and we all know pieces that are accurate yet somehow flat. Turning a clean run-through into something that breathes, with shape, colour, and a sense of line, is a different kind of work, and it is not always clear how to practise it. Some hear the phrasing first, others find it only after the mechanics are solid.
💬 How do you make a piece musical, not just correct?
- When a piece is technically secure but sounds flat, what do you actually do to bring it to life?
- Do you plan your phrasing and dynamics deliberately, or do they emerge as the piece settles?
- Where does your sense of interpretation come from, the score, recordings, a teacher, your own ear?
The music lives in the choices past the notes, and no two players shape a phrase quite the same way. Let's compare how we find it.
1 reply
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I will be interested to hear the comments on this topic. I have spoken at length with my guitar teacher about this topic. My attitude is you have to build a solid foundation before you add all the trim. There is no sense in decorating the kitchen if it hasn't been built. And much to his frustration that is how I have to approach learning a new piece. He believes that it is possible to chew gum and walk at the same time.
Having said that I believe that Audiation is my best friend in helping to play a piece in a musical fashion. I heard someone say "you cannot play music musically if you cannot sing what you want to play." And that I believe to be true.
Cheers
Michelle