Notes about the theory assignment

Those of you who are doing the reading for Assignment #2 are pretty likely to get bogged down in the heavy, detailed writing of the theorists. When that happens, you should notice that it's happening (one of the objectives of this assignment is to figure out what theory articles look like, after all!), but don't automatically assume that you have to struggle through each and every word. If you get to a tough, dense section, it's actually usually better to put a lighter touch on your reading -- skim quickly until you have a basic idea of what the author has said, and then move on to try to get the big picture. (If you're playing a tough music passage, with tons of fast notes, do you think you're more likely to get the notes if you clamp down with your fingers on your instrument, or lighten up and be more limber?) Remember, you don't need to know all the details for this assignment -- just make sure you get the main points.

-R. R.