Avoiding developing bad habits

morning girl · Post by **morning girl** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 4:59 pm

The discussion about whether people are self taught or took lessons leads me to ask: What bad habits did you have to unlearn later as a result of learning on your own or being poorly coached? This is my biggest concern as I am teaching myself until I get permanently settled and can find a good teacher. After puchasing my first whistle I thought of waiting to play it until I could take lessons, but it kept calling to me....louder....and LOUDER...AND LOUDER...I tried putting it in a closed cabinet...then out in the car...nothing helped...AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!...

So I took the poor thing out and started playing it.

Phew

akhleung · Post by **akhleung** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 5:04 pm

I use vibrato (from the diaphragm) an awful lot. I just like the way it sounds. I've heard that too much is considered a bad habit, and can impair one's ability to hold a truly steady note.

Aaron

NicoMoreno · Post by **NicoMoreno** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 6:08 pm

That is how a true vibrato is supposed to be done.
Nothing bad about it at all....

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 6:31 pm

Not playing for any reason is a bad habit.
Don't do it.

Breaking a habit or isn't nearly as hard as picking up a skill. You need to learn how to make your fingers go from note to note, and your breath last long enough to get to the next phrase. Most instructors would like to have a student who has the basics under their belt, rather than one who has to be taught from scratch.

Play, have fun, practice. Do it all over again.

akhleung · Post by **akhleung** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 6:47 pm

NicoMoreno wrote:That is how a true vibrato is supposed to be done.
Nothing bad about it at all....

... unless it's done badly!

zoie · Post by **zoie** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:02 pm

I usually use the tips of my fingers. And I have to keep my nails short. I was told that I should be using the pads of my fingers, I also read that somewhere. Anyway, the songs that I have already learned I still play with the tips of my fingers. I've been trying to use the finger pads but it is really hard for me to switch.

madfifer9 · Post by **madfifer9** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:25 pm

zoie wrote: I usually use the tips of my fingers. And I have to keep my nails short. I was told that I should be using the pads of my fingers, I also read that somewhere. Anyway, the songs that I have already learned I still play with the tips of my fingers. I've been trying to use the finger pads but it is really hard for me to switch.

I think that playing with the tips makes you bend your fingers more, making the muscles more tense. If you play with the pads, your fingers lay flatter and it is easier to raise and lower your fingers more quickly. Thus, you can play faster! (one of my biggest flaws is playing too fast!!)

But, hey, at least you're playing and enjoying it! For incentive, you should think, "If I play with the pads of my fingers, I can grow my nails long!"

Aaron wrote:I use vibrato (from the diaphragm) an awful lot. I just like the way it sounds. I've heard that too much is considered a bad habit, and can impair one's ability to hold a truly steady note.

I do the same thing. Diaphragm support is so important, and doing vibrato from the diaphragm just seems natural to me. But I understand that it should really be done with the fingers, and I like the way it sounds that way, too.

madfifer9

chas · Post by **chas** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:44 pm

It's music (and likely not a type of music where there are hard and fast rules) -- play it however you want. Dizzie Gillespie puffed his cheeks out; Charlie Parker's fingers were too short to play the sax, John Coltrane's were too long.

I agree with Tyghress, good habits are hard to pick up. The one thing that a few lessons instilled in me was that breathing (as well as practicing) is extremely important. Now that I've taken up the flute, it's even more important.

E = Fb · Post by **E = Fb** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 7:55 pm

Jimi Hendrix played a right handed guitar, but played it upside down because he played left handed. What teacher would approve?

AngeloMeola · Post by **AngeloMeola** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:00 pm

I don't think you will pick up bad habits as far as technique goes. I would say start by just blowing the thing and trying to make it sound nice. You don't even have to be trying to play a tune. You will learn how much breath you need for each of the octaves, how to make sure you cover the holes.

Then listen to the rhythm of tunes. Try to get the rhythm ingrained don't try for speed. To my way of thinking, even playing the wrong notes to the right rhythm sounds better than the right notes out of rhythm.

FJohnSharp · Post by **FJohnSharp** » Thu Aug 21, 2003 9:55 pm

I'm having a hard time putting my little finger on the last hole when I play a C#. When I taught myself I didn't do that and now my teacher is having me try it. It feels like a setback but evertually I'll get used to it.

I was also used to underblowing in the upper octave because I practice at home and, in an effort to be considerate, I tried to be an quiet as possible. Consequently my upper notes were a tad flat. That was an easy one to fix.

I was also trying to tongue a lot more than I should. That was easy to fix too.

skh · Post by **skh** » Fri Aug 22, 2003 12:35 am

A bad habit that comes from playing alone is slowing down on the difficult parts of a tune, or take long pauses to breathe. Don't start doing that.

Listen a lot to the style of music you want to play, and learn to listen to yourself. When you have understood the rhythm and the sound, your fingers just have to follow.

Sonja

JohnPalmer · Post by **JohnPalmer** » Fri Aug 22, 2003 12:45 am

Actually, it appears that if one picked up a bad habit, yet never had a lesson, how would they know if they had any bad habits to begin with? I have no idea if I have any bad habits, except for playing up until midnight, but nobody has complained. I did learn the flute while in the Navy, and then had to unlearn several bad habits when I played it in college. On vibrato, there are two schools of thought (not counting finger banging). I always felt that my vibrato came from my neck, as did one of my teachers. Others say that it comes only from their diaphragm, yet my vibrato is very good. I also developed a way to attack each note using only my lips, without the use of my tongue, which, IMHO, for some music, produces a cleaner tone when playing very softly. It's like starting each note with a "P" sound. I'm sure others have done this, but I've never heard any discussion on it.

As for the fiddle I've been playing for the last 18 months, without a teacher, I'm sure I am not doing anything wrong.

(So, why is my left shoulder always sore?

)

JP

Roger O'Keeffe · Post by **Roger O'Keeffe** » Fri Aug 22, 2003 2:35 am

Mary Bergin has a couple of "bad habits" (e.g. freakish finger position), but it doesn't seem to matter much in her case

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Fri Aug 22, 2003 4:40 am

NicoMoreno wrote:That is how a true vibrato is supposed to be done.
Nothing bad about it at all....

I've seen many pros use a finger vibrato also.