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PLAYING EXERCISES AND TECHNIQUES (Continued)
VOLUME HAND EXERCISES
Now that you’ve gotten your pitch hand in shape,
let’s work on your volume hand. Keep your pitch
hand still and use only the Volume Antenna to
articulate notes.
Play any note and slowly raise your left hand
to raise the volume. Gradually lower your hand
toward the Volume Antenna to reduce the volume.
NOTE: Keep the motion mainly in your wrist as opposed
to raising your whole forearm.
Practice making your movements as smooth as possible. The start of the note is called the “attack” and
the end is the “decay.” This exercise is an example of a slow attack and slow decay. Try it again, but this
time, make your movement as quick as possible, so that there is a dramatic jump in volume.
A fast attack gives you the ability to pluck out sharper sounding staccato notes and rhythms. Practice
playing notes with a fast attack and fast decay in groups of three or more; then, try mixing it up by
playing notes with a slow attack and fast decay, or with a fast attack and slow decay.
PITCH AND VOLUME EXERCISES
Now it’s time to get both hands working in concert.
1. Hum a note and play it aloud.
2. This time, before sliding to the second note, slowly
lower the volume all the way using your left hand.
3. Raise your left hand just after your right hand has
glided to the second note.
Do this again, syncing a dip of your volume hand as
you glide between the second to the third note. Don’t
get frustrated if you find it dicult to keep both hands
moving accurately at the same time; just keep practicing!
LOUD
QUIET
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