Belle's Advice Column!!!

[correlate.]

Which song is it?

[.:♥Pandora♥:.]

Well first of all we need to know what piece and instrument. We can't help you without that. I am a musician, I play the oboe.

[correlate.]

^This^

[! october]

Sorry; I planned to tell you all of the information, I just didn't get a chance to post it up untill now.^^

I'm participating in the Solo and Ensamble Contest this Saturday; and I'd like some advice on my solo. I play the cello; and I'm doing the 5th and 6th movements from Six Studies in English Folksong. I've finally gotten both pieces down, but I still have some questions. As the notes get higher and faster would you reccomend playing louder or softer? Also; the first piece is "andante tranquil" (tranquil) and is piano. However, I've found that when I play it slow it just sounds dead, even when I add lots of vibrato. It sounds much better when I play it a little faster, but I'm worried that this would lower my score. What do you think?

[ghostboy]

One the first, I believe unless it specifically tells you to change tempo, keep it the same.
The second; I'd play it faster, if it sounds better, they probably won't lower you score.
This is coming from a vocalist, not a cello player though.

[.Arrow.]

... I'd give you advice, but I honestly don't know anything about solos and stuff. I'd probably go with Maximum's advice, though, unless someone else posts who knows a bit more.

[.:♥Pandora♥:.]

Sorry; I planned to tell you all of the information, I just didn't get a chance to post it up untill now.^^

I'm participating in the Solo and Ensamble Contest this Saturday; and I'd like some advice on my solo. I play the cello; and I'm doing the 5th and 6th movements from Six Studies in English Folksong. I've finally gotten both pieces down, but I still have some questions. As the notes get higher and faster would you reccomend playing louder or softer? Also; the first piece is "andante tranquil" (tranquil) and is piano. However, I've found that when I play it slow it just sounds dead, even when I add lots of vibrato. It sounds much better when I play it a little faster, but I'm worried that this would lower my score. What do you think?

For the louder/softer, just play what it says. If it says mp play mp. Most judges will NOT lower your score as long as you are not going to slow(It shows you don't know the piece well) down or speed up TOO much.

[correlate.]

Exactly. Play what it says. But you can add slight cresendos and decresendos at parts you think are important. Loud for important, soft for less. I'm sure you'll do great.

~Fellow String Player~

[Mellophone]

sorry, i don't mean to be annoying, and sorry if im not allowed to comment, but adding slight crecendos and decresendos is usually referred to as shaping, or at least thats what i've heard. usually used in the longer-ish slurs, you start softly at the beginning and get a bit louder at the middle. then you bring it down to the usual sound at the end of the slur. sorry if you already knew that/I'm not allowed to comment/I'm being annoying.

[! october]

Thank you everyone; it went really well, I got a perfect score. :3

Puffball; what you said wasn't annoying at all; I did pretty much what you just said. ^^