I have been diligently practicing sixtenth notes for a couple of weeks now but I still have trouble playing them. Do anyone have any tips of how to play sixtenth notes?
Be patient! It will probably take a lot longer than a few weeks! And use a metronome regularly. Set it on an eighth note subdivision and play "within" that subdivision.
G-dawg gave some excellent advice. Some additional ideas:
---Keep your fingers close to the keys
---Practice just fingering the notes without blowing
---For difficult fingerings, work four notes at a time holding fifth note then repeating the pattern
---On articlulated 16ths practice tongue and fingers separately at first
---Divide difficult exercises into 2, 4, or 8 bar segments that your repeat over and over
---Practice 16th notes as dotted 16th and 32nd notes, then play as written
---Accent the first note of each group of four notes slightly to lock in the time (Be careful that it doesn't become a habit and you can turn the accents off later).
Good luck. Hope some of this helps. Remember to start slow and be patient and also don't forget that slow notes in music are much harder to play than fast notes.
I have been diligently practicing sixtenth notes for a couple of weeks now but I still have trouble playing them. Do anyone have any tips of how to play sixtenth notes?
G-dawg's instruction is certainly correct---- a couple of weeks practicing
16th notes leaves a long way yet to go. However, more specific tips will be forthcoming if you tell us what KIND of trouble you are having? Is it in the tempo or timing of them, tonguing them, fingering, playing them correctly relative to other notes, e.g. triplets, eights, et al? More info, please.
And keep practicing!
Ruth
Actually, I have two problems with sixtenth notes. The first problem is workable for me, which is learning with a teacher using the Rubanks method and book. The intermediate version have several songs with a lot of sixtenth notes which me and the teacher play together but the problem is I'm forcing myself to play as fast as he plays. He would then tell me to play moderato and concentrate on playing at a slower tempo and not try to fly through it.
My biggest problem is fingering. I see the notes and try to play as fast as I can read the notes but sometimes I end up playing notes that are not on the page of music. I guess trying to play what I see at a fast tempo makes me realize that my fingers, eyes, and brain is not in "sync". I'm trying to play as fast as I can read but my fingers are not as fast as my reading skills so I end up playing the wrong note(s) from time to time.
Stop trying to play as fast as you can. You first need to learn to play accurately - that means practice the patterns slowly. Very slowly at first - even half-notes. Get the pattern right played very slow, then pick up the speed - quarter notes, eighth notes and finally sixteenth notes. It's the only way to get eyes, fingers, tongue and brain in sync.
juan
Both G-Dawg and jbt have given excellent advice. I want to underline the use of a metronome in your practice, set initially to the tempo, no matter how slow, at which you can play the passage accurately. Continuing to repeat wrong notes by trying to play faster than you are able risks reinforcing errors, rather than accurate playing. When you can play accurately at the slower tempo, then keep gradually increasing your metronome setting. The Klose 25 excerises for sax book is a good book from which to work (with metronome) to improve in this area.
And let's re-define "problem"---you don't have a "problem"--you are experiencing entirely normal difficulties as you strive to become a better musician---it takes time and appropriate practice to get your fingers, eyes & brain in sync. And no matter how proficient you become, you will still come up against passages of music that will require extra woodshedding--they may be fast tempo 16th notes (or even 32nd notes), difficult rhythms, challenging fingering patterns, whatever. A good mantra for you---"patience & practice".
Best wishes for your continued joy in making music.
Ruth
if your still in school (like me) you can really practice alot without your sax.
Just get your tongue used to moving that fast inside your mouth and keep the beat with your toe. its not as good as a metronome. but it gives you something too do. In my case it was my tongue speed holding me up. i had to work it alot to get it to loosen up.
Once you tense up in anticipation that it is going to be difficult,
then it will be.
As others stated, you need to practise with a metronome
until it is second nature.
If you don't, then when you come to play, if you skip over one
note because it is easier to play, then your whole phrase is out of
sync.
So practise hard, then relax. The notes should flow easily.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Sax on the Web Forum
3.3M posts
75.4K members
Since 2003
A forum community dedicated to saxophone players and enthusiasts originally founded by Harri Rautiainen. Come join the discussion about collections, care, displays, models, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!