For the Beginner Who Asks: Why Can't I Play Faster?

[srt19170]

@Peter Laban

…I see no mention of specifically US session.

You’re right, that was my fault.

I think, instead of focusing on the non issue of speed, if you really want to help beginners, it’s probably better to focus on issues of rhythm and phrasing which are far more crucial.

Of course you’re right, but my point was merely to help beginners get a better expectation of the time & effort required to play the music at “faster” speeds (to avoid the problematic “session speeds”

– Scott

[srt19170]

@Bloomfield

You are obviously very smart and write and think much more carefully than the rest of us… I mean, I myself am trying but I still can’t wrap my head around how you actually didn’t say what you said.

Do I detect Bloomfieldian sarcasm?

I honestly don’t think that what I (originally) wrote was all that controversial or hard to understand. I mean:

Unless you’re particularly gifted, have hours of free time every day to practice, or are already expert on another instrument, it takes several years to play at [US] session speed.

How much simpler could that be put? I note that 5 or 6 beginners have posted in this thread to say “Hey, thanks for that, I was wondering…” so it can’t really have been that hard to decipher.

But I apologize if I was rude to Peter. It seemed to me that he was intentionally misconstruing what I’d said, but it’s certainly easy to mistake intentions on the Internets.

– Scott

[Bloomfield]

@srt19170

But I apologize if I was rude to Peter. It seemed to me that he was intentionally misconstruing what I’d said, but it’s certainly easy to mistake intentions on the Internets.

Fair enough. Oh, and Bloomfield doesn’t do sarcasm.

[Jon-M]

@Peter Laban

I have the left foot setting the beat and the other one going double that to fill in the pulse which helped me immensely getting a solid rhythm. Basically what Micho Russell used to do .

Peter, I hope you’re still reading this thread because I want to ask: does this mean that the right foot is tapping double the pace of the left?

[Bloomfield]

@Jon-M

@Peter Laban

I have the left foot setting the beat and the other one going double that to fill in the pulse which helped me immensely getting a solid rhythm. Basically what Micho Russell used to do .

Peter, I hope you’re still reading this thread because I want to ask: does this mean that the right foot is tapping double the pace of the left?

No, the feet alternate. L r L r | L r L r | etc etc

[Jon-M]

That’s what I was hoping since trying the other way set my right foot going at a very interesting pace. My favorite foot action that I’ve ever seen was a Quebecois fiddler who joined us one night. Basically, he did a quiet little dance with both feet while he played. It wasn’t obtrusive but was very expressive; his playing was a joy to listen to plus he was fun to watch.

[Sylvester]

Desy Adams looks like literally running when playing.