The omission of all or most articulation from one’s playing
Articulation is a big part of piano playing, but to a piano student it can seem like just one more thing to focus on. For the student with articulation anaemia, staccato marks, slurs and accents pale in comparison to notes and rhythms.
To combat articulation anaemia we need the student to reorder their priority list, and also to have the confidence and technical skills necessary to execute the articulation. This affliction is one not of the mind only, but of the heart too. Articulation requires conviction.
Symptoms
Prescriptions
Vocalise
In lesson
One way to bring articulation to the forefront of your student’s playing is to involve speech. Demonstrate the music for your student and come up with syllables together that fit the articulation used:
Single staccato notes could be “tat”.
A series of staccato quavers (eighth notes) might then be “rat tat tat tat”.
The two-note slurs could become “yah-dah”.
Write the articulation vocalisations on your student’s score. Play the piece yourself and ask your student to be the vocalist. If she’s shy about it you can sing along with her. Once she is comfortable saying or singing the new lyrics, ask her to play the piece while you both vocalise the articulation.
At home
Assign home practice with the vocalisations. Ask your student to also write another way to vocalise her piece. Perhaps she could even teach the new “lyrics” to her family so they can sing along while she plays?
Conduct It
In lesson
Play the piece your student is working on, either yourself or from a recording. Discuss all the articulations used and how they enhance the playing. If your student was a conductor, how could she show the musicians that she wanted this articulation?
Ask your student to act as your conductor while you play her piece. You may need to review the articulation used and where it occurs first. If the score had no articulation marks, would you know where to put certain articulations from her actions? Try the same exercise with music your student has not seen or heard before if you would like to explore articulation with her further. The more different contexts the better.
At home
Ask your student to imagine herself conducting as she plays. How would she show the staccato marks? What would she as the conductor want the player to do there? The strong visuals should help her to place emphasis and importance on the articulation during her home practice.
Related Diagnoses
Expression Omission Disorder