7/20/24 Brush Your Intonation

I was brushing my teeth last night, thinking about how annoying it is that we have to do this everyday. I mean, you’re never done brushing your teeth!

You don't get to say, Hey, I’ve been brushing my teeth for years, so now I’m just going to stop.

And it occurred to me that this is a lot like intonation.

You could think of good intonation as being spotless, sparkling clean and ringing clearly in its overtones. 

But like anything, if you want it to stay clean, you have to keep it clean, because otherwise it gets sloppy. 

It’s also a lot like staying in shape. It doesn’t take long for muscles to atrophy if they aren’t used. Have you ever had a cast for a broken bone? It doesn’t take long. Use them or you lose them, when it comes to muscles.

Students sometimes ask how to improve their intonation. 

And the answer is: 

• Never settle—don’t let any note stay out of tune. Fix it!

• Brush it every day til it sparkles

It’s musical hygiene. Sorry.