TromboneChat

How does one count/ feel/ practice the tuplet figures in the slow section? Specifically the tuplets with a 9 above?

Thanks,
Michael

Think of it as an eighth note triplet, where each partial is its own triplet. You can practice them by taking out the notes other than the "downbeats-" in the first one, you'd play Db, C, Bb as an eighth note triplet.

The one with 9 over it is like BurgerBob says, but as a triplet instead of an 8th notes.*

That said, this is an extremely dream-like piece in the beginning. You can play these figures very rubato within the hanging chords, and then the piano comes in with you.

*Edit: he had mentioned that the 6-tuplet feature was like triplets in the space of one eighth note, 3 on the downbeat, 3 on the upbeat, which is correct. I think he saw you were talking about just the 9, and took that part out.

Thanks guys.

harrisonreed wrote: ↑Tue Jan 11, 2022 4:10 pm That said, this is an extremely dream-like piece in the beginning. You can play these figures very rubato within the hanging chords, and then the piano comes in with you.

What he said. Rubato is your friend here. I stretch the first upper neighbor figure, then speed up through the remaining 6 notes. Doodle-y tongue helps, too.

I've heard recordings of the Andante section tuplets (9) that don't ow down, but play in time (e.g. How do you count it to play like that?

Note the tempo marking. Sub-dividing will likely make it easier, but even then you have to get 6 evenly spaced notes into one beat. Alternate positions and natural slurs can be your friend and keep the articulations within each set of triplets consistant. Try the Db's that fall between the C's in the first line in 5th; ditto for the 2nd line but also play the F's that fall between the Eb's in 4th. It will likely take lots of slow repetitions to get the alternates in tune and then get it all up to tempo, but, if you're like me and unable to legato tongue well at that speed, it will pay off.