Do You Ever Play The Same Wrong Note Consistently ?, Ive been doing it for 50 yrs ! Options

[fsharpminor]

Is there ever a piece where you often play the same wrong note for years.
I do this with 'Greensleeves' Given that I have known and played this tune for 50 yrs or more, why do I often lapse into sharpening the fifth note ! I.e, in E minor E , G , A , B , then C# instead of C.

We actually had a hymn to this tune yesterday (I hate playing hymns to well known folk tunes (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) ), and I did it in both the initial play through , and also in a later verse. The other verses I did it correctly !
But sooner or later I will do it again. Why can't I get it into my silly head that its C natural, and do it correctly every time. ?
Do others of you have any examples of this or am I just being daft ?

[Cyrilla]

Ah...in the case of Greensleeves, it's because you're feeling its original Dorian tonality!

The original tune has a sharpened 6th - sorry, have to 'talk' solfa here! - l, d r m fi m r t, s,...but Greensleeves is a wonderful example of Musica Ficta - where the modal nature of pieces started to disappear. It is physically easier ('lazier') to sing m-f-m than m-fi-m, and gradually the piece changed into something more recognisably diatonic minor. There is another place in the melody where this occurs - d l, l, so, l, t, so, m, - the later version replaces the modal so with si.

Er - hope this makes sense! But I'm sure it's why you're making the 'mistake' (not a mistake at all, actually) - you're just 'feeling' the older, modal version of the melody.

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[Mad Tom]

Do You Ever Play The Same Wrong Note Consistently

Absolutely. Doesn't everyone?

This is one of the great things about a teacher. It is such a surprise, because often you really do "hear"what you think you are playing, instead of the actual sound - until it is pointed out to you.

[fsharpminor]

Jeez Cyrilla, I didnt expect a reply with so much Selsdonian theory ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Cyrilla]

Jeez Cyrilla, I didnt expect a reply with so much Selsdonian theory ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

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[SueHM]

I think it sounds lovely with a C sharp and often play a few different variations with each version. Greensleeves (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wub.gif) one of my all time favourite tunes - don't care how many times I hear it, or how badly murdered, I just love it!

[Dulciana]

I do this sort of thing with alarming frequency. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) The trouble is - once you realise what you're doing and try to change it - that you get a 'thing' about it, and then you don't know what you're doing at all, and all the notes in that vicinity can unravel like a piece of knitting does when you've dropped a stitch. (Do you knit, fsm? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) ) I was accompanying somebody the other day in a last practice session for a concert, and she went to point out a wrong note to me that I hadn't noticed, and I put my hands over my ears and said 'no, no, no, don't wanna know...', so she laughed and didn't tell me. But I couldn't resist it when she'd gone, and found it myself - nicely placed in a fast passage on a page turn - so I'm currently in the ripping out piece of knitting phase, and hoping I get there in time... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

[fsharpminor]

(Do you knit, fsm? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) )

I learnt at primary school in the 50's !. Haven't knitted since ! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Digby]

A friend of mine was at a masterclass, I don't remember who was taking it but it was a lady who had been a professional pianist for about 40 years.

Anyway, one young lady finished her performance and while receiving her critique the professional said - and check this bit It's a B flat not natural, so she looked, said 'no it isn't' to which she got the answer 'I've been playing this for 50 years I think I'd know if it was a flat or not' so she looked again and said 'I'm really sorry, I can't see it, please can you show me'

Ah, no prize for guessing what comes next, she admitted with a laugh that she'd been playing it wrong for all those years (and yes they did check several different editions in the room)