first day of the music project

We got our sheet music for the culminating project today, and also got a chance to practice the piece for the first time. The piece me and my MOST FAVOURITE trombone buddy Jake were assigned is called "Turquoise". My first reaction was that it was really confusing, overwhelming, and overall difficult. At a first glance, the notes seemed to jump all over the place, and the rythms threw me off. However, as with most pieces, after I got through it a couple times, got an idea in my head of how it was supposed to sound, and generally got a feel for the piece, I found it much easier and more enjoyable to play. Things also became alot easier once I finally made the distinction between a dotted quarter note and a dotted eighth note ... I knew that they were both worth 3 of something, however I wasnt quite sure what that something was. Luckily I now have that sorted out; a dotted quarter note is worth 3 eighth notes, and a dotted eight note is worth 3 sixteenth notes. For rythmic purposes, I usually break down the piece into sixteenth notes in my head while I play.


I'm not very good at sight reading, as you might have guessed. (usually I just memorize how the song goes ASAP, and use the music as more of guidelines to jog my memory)

There are a few sections within the piece during which the piano accompanyment takes over, and I must rest for a few bars. I will need to make sure that I count these bars properly, so that I enter again at the appropriate time. This will not be difficult for me; after 9 years of dance classes I have a very good sense of counting and timing. But I still must remember to pay attention !

I have glanced briefly at the dynamics in my piece, but haven't yet applied these dynamics to my practicing and playing. I plan to do this once I can play the proper notes and rythyms without struggle.

Which reminds me, that I am having difficulty with some of the notes in the second half of the piece. I find them a little too high for me to play comfortably. I can play these notes fine by themselves, but when I have been playing for a few minutes, my lips are tired, and I'm running low on air, they are not as successful. I've played the piece a few times and gotten them in, however. It's more a matter of luck for me in this case. Nonetheless, I'm sure that I can get it if I try hard and, as Mr. Stevenson would say, "Squeeze your butt!".

That is all for now :)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!