Cooper

Good work on the high notes! Don’t give up!

Scales

Dmajor

  • Practice 1st octave slurred up and down with the metronome
  • Try to get the transitions between the notes as smooth as possible
  • Even when going slowly, switch between fingerings snappily, and make sure your fingers are close to the keys
  • For the second octave, start at the top and play down 2 notes at a time i.e. D-C# back and forth a couple times, C# to B, B to A, A to G etc until you get to the middle half hole D
  • try to keep as much reed out of your mouth as possible, but experiment with adding more air and lip pressure to see what gives you a nice sound
  • Bring the corners of your mouth in all the time – try not to ‘smile’

Pieces

Gymnopédie No. 1

  • Work on the second page to start from bar 22
  • keep lots of air flowing very fast for the higher notes
  • when you make a fingering mistake practice just 2 notes back and forth and then expand to more notes one at a time
  • Once you’ve practiced the second page THEN go back and practice the first page a little