More Concert Band
When I signed on with the band, I really looked forward to trying out
the mallet percussion instruments. Then I found myself at an unfamiliar
instrument with sticks in my hands while trying to sight-read a piece
at a very fast clip. The layout of the mallet percussion instruments is
the same as the layout of the piano, but I still find myself studying
the instrument in order to find C and F. Why? Something about it throws
me off.
I'm not as insecure as I was last Fall, but the challenges are real. The "black" keys are not black. Sometimes the keys are labeled, but only in sharps. It's a good thing I know that A# and Bb are the same note. Unfortunately, looking at A# and automatically playing a Bb on it is easier said than done. The motions required to play the bells and xylophone are very different from those required to play the piano. On the piano, your arms move your hands more or less smoothly into place so that your fingers can play the notes. On the glockenspiel, your arms need to move a bit more, and the hands play the notes, rather than the fingers. I am not nearly as fast with the mallets, but the sections of music that require the glockenspiel tend to have a very quick tempo. I keep getting my sticks tangled.
I am learning an entirely new genre of music, as well. (Interestingly, at our first rehearsal this winter, every song that to me seemed *really fast* and *pretty difficult* was declared "easy" by BD, and the one song that seemed fairly easy to me was "hard." Of course, I don't have a part in that one, because who writes a glockenspiel or xylophone part for a slow, gentle piece?) Yes, I have heard some of the songs we are playing many times in the past. For example, we will be playing Leonard Bernstein's "Slava!" at our next concert. It is taking me some effort to learn my cues despite the fact that I am familiar with the sound of the song. One of my biggest difficulties is simply keeping time when I have a block of rests over a number of measures. I am trained to read along with other people's parts, and I lack experience with blindly counting off measures. I keep telling myself that I am improving, but the proof is only marginally visible at this point.
It has been an eye-opening experience, playing with the band. I haven't yet decided whether I'll stick around next year. Band music isn't really my favorite, but it is growing on me. I'll certainly stay for now. The band members are friendly and forgiving. My piano skills are improving really quickly as a result of learning new music and a new instrument, and I am nowhere near done learning things from this group. Yes, I am still uncomfortable during band rehearsals, but I am beginning to feel like I belong there. And I am truly grateful for the opportunity to improve my skills in the context of an ensemble that doesn't need me to play everything well right away.
I'm not as insecure as I was last Fall, but the challenges are real. The "black" keys are not black. Sometimes the keys are labeled, but only in sharps. It's a good thing I know that A# and Bb are the same note. Unfortunately, looking at A# and automatically playing a Bb on it is easier said than done. The motions required to play the bells and xylophone are very different from those required to play the piano. On the piano, your arms move your hands more or less smoothly into place so that your fingers can play the notes. On the glockenspiel, your arms need to move a bit more, and the hands play the notes, rather than the fingers. I am not nearly as fast with the mallets, but the sections of music that require the glockenspiel tend to have a very quick tempo. I keep getting my sticks tangled.
I am learning an entirely new genre of music, as well. (Interestingly, at our first rehearsal this winter, every song that to me seemed *really fast* and *pretty difficult* was declared "easy" by BD, and the one song that seemed fairly easy to me was "hard." Of course, I don't have a part in that one, because who writes a glockenspiel or xylophone part for a slow, gentle piece?) Yes, I have heard some of the songs we are playing many times in the past. For example, we will be playing Leonard Bernstein's "Slava!" at our next concert. It is taking me some effort to learn my cues despite the fact that I am familiar with the sound of the song. One of my biggest difficulties is simply keeping time when I have a block of rests over a number of measures. I am trained to read along with other people's parts, and I lack experience with blindly counting off measures. I keep telling myself that I am improving, but the proof is only marginally visible at this point.
It has been an eye-opening experience, playing with the band. I haven't yet decided whether I'll stick around next year. Band music isn't really my favorite, but it is growing on me. I'll certainly stay for now. The band members are friendly and forgiving. My piano skills are improving really quickly as a result of learning new music and a new instrument, and I am nowhere near done learning things from this group. Yes, I am still uncomfortable during band rehearsals, but I am beginning to feel like I belong there. And I am truly grateful for the opportunity to improve my skills in the context of an ensemble that doesn't need me to play everything well right away.
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