> Like Herb, I resort to fingers
Not towards the conductor, we hope. But if so, we're pulling for you.
With no "phrasal reference," I start with the left hand and bend fingers
over (towards closed into palm) across both hands for measures up to 10,
then start back at the beginning with and "unbend" motion. If the measures
go much above 20, I'm looking for writing in cues cause I like to feel I'm
part of the music that's happening, not an accountant.
I also try to arrange measure counting with "phrasal references" (I just
made that up). That is, if the to-be-counted measures number 20, and if
there are normal 8-bar phrases (or close to it), I make my own resting
measure roadmap above the printed line.
FOR INSTANCE: If there are twenty bars rest, I play in the first 4-bars of
the 1st phrase, then rest for 20, I make it look like this (bet this won't
work in e-mail)
4 16
l--------l l----------------l
...which, on my part, crudely attempts the superimposition of logic onto the
chaotic backdrop of life. And so I go through life, tilting the tulips.
jrc
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