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I have a student who has a serious problem whenever he plays scales (most of time left hand) and running 16th notes; all notes sound uneven and mushy. I have asked him to practice them slowly with loud, then soft, and then crescendo and diminuendo, also with different rhythms such as long-short long-short (dotted 8th followed by 16th), then short-long short-long throughout, and then every note evenly.

Of course this takes a lot time to finish this routine. It helped me when I was a student. However, my student does not follow it, due to time consuming. I really cannot help if he does not do what's needed to be done, regardless time spent.

I also incorporate some technique books and ask him to do it routinely. Most of the time, he has problems with scales in the technique books. I have told him to slow down and do it solidly rather than doing it fast and sloppy. He told me that he cannot play slowly. I said that when he plays slowly at first and get every note very clear and solid, then he can increase the tempo little by little. It's guranteed to have solid and good 16th notes after all the practices of slow and small increment of tempos. However, he has never done the way I told him too. Then, he expects himself to play well....

I don't know what to tell him. .... Please help me

If it were more challenging, do you think he'd be more interested in practicing the scales? Try these rhythms for every group of four 16th notes: 1. Long, long, short, short; 2. Short, short, long, long; 3. Long (feel a triplet tied for "long"), triplet; 4. Triplet, long. I find more success using these rhythms instead of long-short, or short-long.

Does he understand why you are asking him to learn scales? Does he understand why all musicians warm up with scales? Does he even know what the word "scales" means?

We don't practice scales for the sake of being able to play scales, do we? No, we practice "steps" because we need to be able to move smoothly from tone to tone, both smoothly and controlled (not accented, squished or smothered).

From your post, I'm assuming his playing is ragged, uneven and generally unmusical.

Perhaps if he discovers the answers, he'll see the need and begin to take action on his own. So, you might use a sports analogy. Tell him that he's going to coach a soccer (football) game, but he can only teach the players the rules and allow them to play against each other. They are not allowed any form of drill during practice. Most importantly, they cannot practice running. On game day, how does he think they'll perform?

Thank you both.

I actually showed him how to practice and ask him to do it in lessons, and I emphasized that his notes got much better after even a short practices of the drills.


I would try him with long, long, short, short, and the rest.

He is actually very musical, but his technique is zero and needs a lot of work. I don't think that his previous teacher ever did any technique with him. When people (not music professions) listen to his playing, they wow, due to the super fast mentality. He has gotten tons of compliments. However, to me, he really needs to work on technique. I was afraid that he would not get SUPERIOR for festivals sponsored by MTNA or NFMC. However, he got both SUPERIOR. Now, both he and his mom are looking at me like I am just asking too much or something.....