Savor the Transition
Another ‘a-ha” moment drawn from Parkour class! Yesterday we were working on executing a series of movements at slow, medium, and full speeds. It was really interesting to notice the transitions. Not only the transition of weight shifting through a move but how I moved through space between two movements. I was taking in the quality of my transitions, the smoother the quality the more fluid the execution.
This got me thinking about the transitions in playing! There are so many transitions in music-making. Transitions between notes, the space between sound, transitions of the tongue in articulation, the transition between inhaling to exhaling, the possibilities are endless.
Today, practice some of your music at different speeds and notice your transitions. There are different levels you can apply to noticing transitions. You might notice the transitions of finger movements or you might go to a more focused level and notice the transition of pressing a key as the fingertip increases contact with the key. You might notice the space between notes or how the ribs move continuously as you exhale.
A lot of musicians begin to realize they accumulate tension in the body as they play which limits everything. They learn to utilize transitions to discharge accumulated tension and get back to their most natural, efficient movement. I like to notice how my contact with the chair or floor transitions as I play, subtle but fluid weight shifts.
If you come across transitions that are ‘bumpy,’ explore how you can smooth them out. Identify what is happening at the moment. Sometimes there is a slight question about rhythm or some aspect of the music that causes us to stutter.
Smoothing out your transitions and learning to tune into them will provide you with access to the movements that propel your expression.