Singles speed builder

This is a page for developing fast singles, for my students— maybe you can use it too. Like anything else, your results may vary teaching it to yourself. You can contact me for lessons on this, or on anything on this site. 

The idea is to do each thing as fast as you can with good technique, one time, and adding single notes to that. The standard way of developing singles (see Master Studies, e.g.) is to work on ongoing speed— compounding the problem by including the endurance element. In real playing you usually don't play fast singles for a long time. So let's learn to play them like you play them, and you can develop the endurance later.  

Work on one measure at a time, playing them at your top speed. Your improvement is measured by whether you can do the next pattern at the same speed— not by increasing speed. This is not written to be played as a full page drill— you would have to change your metronome setting every measure to do each thing at top speed. 

Stickings for all the patterns are alternating, starting with the right hand. Also practice them starting with the left hand. Use the indicated stickings as guides for getting the internals in line, especially if you want to do this with a metronome. If so, set it at an 8th note rate, except on number 3, 11, and 14, for which you set it at an 8th note triplet rate. 

Get the pdf