It is necessary to train the muscles to act quickly, accurately, strongly, and without easy tiring if you are to be a super-musician. In order to acquire the independent, individual movement of the fingers, they have to go through the “awkward squad” stage, it is true; but with the proper, thoughtful drilling, which these lessons, like an understanding officer gives, they soon become familiar with the commands and learn to obey orders.
Obedience is of absolute importance in learning AUTOMATIC FINGER CONTROL. First obedience that you must give to the written word of the lesson. And then obedience that you must demand of the muscles involved. When you want your finger or whatever it may be to perform a certain movement, do not accept anything short of perfection from it. Analyze each movement that seems to give trouble. Trouble—understand—is half removed.
If you demand perfect obedience from your fingers each and every time, it will not take long for you to establish that very desirable connection—or shall we say understanding—between the brain and the fingers which will free you from the usual drudgery of fumbling for the notes at the instrument, of only half comprehending what you are playing, and of getting tired when you should still be fresh and enjoying yourself.
Thus, the habit of correctness is established. If there be any good habits; surely, this is one of the best that a Musician could acquire. I commend it to you highly. It well repays your effort in gaining it.
Exercises 17, 18, 19, and 20.
LESSON 11.
Sometimes, as we go along in a course of lessons, we are inclined to lose sight of the original purpose. It often is well to look back and see what we set out to do, and what we are accomplishing.
In the first place, we started out to develop strength, flexibility, freedom of movement, independent action, and perfect control of each one of the fingers. Our purpose in doing these things is to enable one to save time in learning to play any musical instrument through specializing on the finger work which constitutes some nine-tenths of the battle. At the same time, other benefits are expected—greater self-reliance, greater accuracy in sight reading, and greater ease in accompanying.
In order to accomplish these ends, we have been freeing the joints from stiffness and lameness. We have been training the fingers to move more widely and more freely. And we have been developing the muscles, so that the fingers have been developed, strengthened, given greater speed and facility of action, and their endurance increased.
With greater strength, has come greater independence in action. By this time, you ought to be well started toward perfect control of each of the fingers.