The correction of faulty finger coordination in bassoon playing: Traditional approaches and a new diagnostic tool

Abstract

This document examines the issue of correcting faulty finger coordination in bassoon playing and describes the development and use of a diagnostic device which allows the player to determine precisely what finger(s) is out of synchronization with the others in transitions from one note to the next. A brief history of movement analysis techniques is given, and several studies of the finger movements of adult musicians which used various types of technology are discussed. In order to understand how movements occur, basic physiological information is provided about the brain, the forearm, the wrist, and the structure of the hand. Included is a discussion of motor programming as related to learning the complex sequence of movements involved in playing a piece of music on an instrument. Traditional strategies for improving finger coordination which are applicable to the bassoon have been selected from other woodwind resource books and articles. Mental strategies are also discussed, taken from the fields of "Inner Game" theory, sports psychology, and movement efficiency training. A description of the performance difficulties found in Fantasy for Bassoon, op. 86 by Malcolm Arnold concludes the study.