Fixation

Monday is the day I "turn the page" in the Taffanel-Gaubert 17 Big Daily Exercises and the Frederick the Great Daily Exercises. With the Taffanel-Gaubert I literally turn the page to work on the next two pages; in the Frederick the Great it's just moving on to the next short exercise. If I'm going to start working on a new piece of music, I usually start it on a Monday. Today I tried something different. I worked on the new exercise without the metronome for the most part.

And discovered something.

As I've written, I became frustrated while working on the Frederick the Great exercises, which are short--usually only two or three lines (at least the first ones). Today I figured I would work through #13 without the metronome a few times and then go back to starting with the metronome on a slow setting. I found that without the metronome I made fewer mistakes and bobbles.

Realization: I became so fixated on the metronome and the tempo that things like intonation and fingering flew right out the window.

It's very easy these days to get fixated on something. For many people it's work. I know that one well. That's double jeopardy for me, since I work for the denominational headquarters of my church. Picking up the flute regularly again has provided me with some balance and taught me about the importance of balancing things in my life.

It looks like I need to apply that lesson to my practice sessions as well!