No Shortcuts

My husband Matt and I recently hiked to Quandary Peak in Colorado. The sign at the trailhead warned us that this would be difficult, there were unknowns, to be prepared and we should stay on the path. As we hiked up the 6.2 miles to the top, I began to think about how much this sign applied to many aspects of life. I probably would have no students if I put a sign like this up in my studio.

Shortcuts?

Be warned – There is no easy way to learn an instrument.
Be determined – Keep practicing – there are no shortcuts.
Be aware – of how you spend your time. Lots of good things crave your effort, attention and time.
Be prepared – It takes effort, time and money required.

Shortcuts in Posture

How often has a little student looked at me and said, “Well I do it this way.” Sometimes things that we think feel good, or feel ok actually hinder movement in the long run. A straight pinky on our bow may feel ok when we play Twinkle Variation A, but when we get to Perpetual Motion by Karl Bohm in Book 4. We are really going to wish we had fixed our bow hold back at the beginning.

Not keeping our head aligned doesn’t feel so bad when your 16, 17 or 18. But when you turn 40, that misalignment for the last 35 years of playing is not going to feel great and will have consequences throughout your body. Don’t take shortcuts when you’re 5 or when you’re 15 when it comes to posture.

Shortcuts in Note Reading

We desire so badly to be able to play fast or quickly, that we figure out ways to not really learn. We think, “There must be an easier way!” Just like in hiking, when we take that “easier way” we often get stuck or it takes us to a place we don’t want to be. For string players this shows up when we advance and begin playing in positions. Suddenly they find themselves getting stuck. The shortcut of reading music notation that they created suddenly doesn’t work. Sometimes they work to create yet another shortcut only to find that they have too many steps to work through.

Shortcuts in Rhythm Reading

Another shortcut students and teachers might take is in reading rhythms. While a teacher might obtain immediate success in telling a student, “this is how it goes…” This handicaps the student when it comes to understanding how to count and play. Students who cannot read notes or rhythms for themselves are going to be less likely to play for their own enjoyment.

Shortcuts in Teaching

At a recent teaching symposium Dr. Dawn Wooderson challenged teachers to teach in such a way that students never had to “unlearn” a concept or idea. If you are a student, are you taking shortcuts that you will have to unlearn. As a teacher are you teaching shortcuts into your students learning?