Table of Contents

* A Preview of the Problems Musicianship * On Learning to Play by Ear * Sight-Reading for Profit and Pleasure * Join an Ensemble and Be Musical * Music and BooksThe Tools of the Profession Technique; The Basic Mechanisms * About Sitting and Hand Positions * The Four Main Playing Mechanisms * The Use of the Fingers * The Use of the Hand * The Use of the Forearm, Upper Arm, and Trunk More Technique; The Basic Exercises * Do Formal Studies Serve Their Purpose? * Making the Most of Scales and Other Drills * Creating Exercises out of Actual Situations * Some Combination Touches More Technique; The Basic Exercises * Do Formal Studies Serve Their Purpose? * Making the Most of Scales and Other Drills * Creating Exercises out of Actual Situations Practice * Fingering Can Make or Break a Piece * Counting and Rhythm as Clues to Authoritative Playing * Touch and ToneFact and Fancy * Do You Hear What You Pedal? * Practice Methods That Save Time and Effort * Is Memory Your Undoing? Performance * Interpretation: The Sum of Understanding, Experience, and Talent * That Last Mile That Means Perfection * The Worst Bogey of Them AllStage Fright Nine Steps In Learning a New Piece * Steps 1 to 3: Laying the Groundwork * Steps 4 to 6: Learning the Notes * Steps 7 to 9: Playing the Music Il Maestro E Lo Scolare * An Approach Through Sight-Reading * Learning by Intuition, Imagery, or Facts?

About the Author

William S. Newman (1912-2000) was an American musicologist.