Playing Delicately Rather Than Softly

Sometimes when we look at our music, we see it says piano, and in thinking piano, we tend to squeeze, instead of thinking,

“What if I kept that sound glorious and beautiful, but just used a different adjective to describe it?”

In the Cantabile et Presto, in the opening section, you see the word “délicatement” printed under the staff. So, you need to play it delicately. But, it also has the word “Piano” or the letter “P.”

So, if I’m thinking, as I come up the run into that, that I’m going to be playing delicately, I’m less likely to say,

“Oh, it’s supposed to diminuendo up the run into that delicate section. So, I’m going to pinch all the way up.”

So, we don’t want to play it pinched, because that will destroy our sound. I want to say, “I want to sound like this,” which is just beautiful. It’s not forte. It’s not terribly soft, but it is a little bit different than if I were going to play it loudly, like later on, when I have to get up to a high B♭.

So, if I think it’s delicate, then as I come up that run, I’m getting more delicate rather than soft. Then, it makes the end of that run, and into that delicate section, just so much more beautiful.

So, sometimes when you’re looking at your music, and you see that it says softly, or even when it says mezzo forte or something, think of an adjective you could use to describe the sound that you want. Then you’ll be more likely to get that color when you get there. So, you won’t pinch, and play, or over-blow on a forte section, and play too loudly.

You want to play with a beautiful sound all the time. Whether you’re playing it softly or in a forte section, if you use an adjective to come up with the sound color you’re looking for, rather than piano and forte, you’ll achieve the effect that you want with a beautiful sound.

Get out your Cantabile et Presto and try it out. Then, let me know how this worked for you.

Have fun!

Doctor Flute

Watch me demonstrate this: FluteTips 29 Delicately Not Softly