,automatic ,finger ,control ,a ,scientific ,method that gets at the very foundation of ,musical ,skill4 ,discloses fully the secrets that make it possible to learn to play any instrument easily and quickly4 ,taught only by the ,u4 ,s4 ,school of ,music4 ,for beginners and advanced pupils4 ,can be used in conjunction with any method of instrumental instruction4 ,,seventh ,,edition ,u4 ,s4 ,,school ,,of ,,music #bbe ,fifth ,avenue ,new ,york ,copyright #aiba by ,u4 ,s4 ,school of ,music ,preface to the ,second ,edition ,there is one point which ,i wish to stress at this appropriate time4 ,it is something that will prove of great aid to every student of this advanced1 intensely practical1 time saving method4 ,that is the habit of regular practice4 ,,choose ,a ,,definite ,,practice ,,hour ,it has been suggested in the course1 that you practice the exercises outlined night and morning4 ,this is my best advice on the matter4 ,there is a definite reason for this4 ,the things which you do just before you sleep at night are more apt to be remembered than those which you do at odd times during the day4 ,that is the reason for choosing bed time for one period of exercise4 ,you will find that if you have given concentrated thought and attention to the bed time work1 that in all probability ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control will be the first thing you think of in the morning4 ,and this is just the time to clinch the bargain4 ,get busy at once and do the exercises over again4 ,if you follow this procedure1 you will learn very rapidly1 and soon1 the muscles will begin to keep time with your brain1 which1 after all1 is the secret of the whole thing4 ,but even supposing you cannot find it convenient to run through the exercises night and morning4 ,i know that some of our students can't very well take the time first thing in the morning4 ,yet1 you should definitely decide when you can most conveniently do the work1 and then do it regularly at that same hour day after day4 ,,favoring ,,the ,,mind ,the mind is a most wonderful thing4 ,one could devote years and years to its study4 ,indeed1 many people already have1 and even yet1 we know very little about it4 ,but out of all of the maze of study and experiment1 we have discovered that the mind responds best under certain definite circumstances4 ,it is particularly interesting to note the little foibles of composers and writers4 ,some authors only write at night4 ,some only when standing at their desks4 ,some do their best work when out in the open4 ,haydn always wanted to have on his finger the ring which ,frederick the ,great gave him1 when he started out to write a composition4 ,rossini liked to write in bed4 ,so did our dearly beloved humorist1 ,mark ,twain4 ,and so it goes4 ,funny in one way1 and yet1 not funny at all4 ,these people are merely favoring the peculiarities of their own minds4 ,it is hard1 especially hard for some people1 to take the mind off from one subject and put it on another4 ,unless one is easily able to concentrate on the task at hand1 the mind is bound to wander back to the thing we were thinking of previously4 ,,an ,,aid ,,to ,,concentration ,and yet1 we must concentrate on these ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control exercises if we are to get the best and most out of them4 ,experiment shows that if we plan to study at some definite time each day1 the mind gets into the habit of responding at this particular time and is more ready to work than if we take up the practice at irregular intervals4 ,so choose some definite practice periods--bed time1 and the first thing on arising if possible1 but some definite time1 at any rate4 ,then1 once you have set aside that hour1 observe it religiously as your practice period until something comes up that changes your whole mode of life sufficiently to warrant setting a new study hour4 ,never excuse yourself for even so much as a single day4 ,seven days a week is the best way to master ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control4 ,if you will follow these simple suggestions and rules of instruction of this course1 your progress is going to be sure1 rapid1 and very gratifying4 ,,the ,,author4 ,u4 ,s4 ,,school ,,of ,,music #bbe ,,fifth ,,avenue ,,new ,,york ,,city ,departmental ,memo4 ,my dear ,mr4 ,kemp3 ,it is indeed gratifying to report the remarkable success of the ,course in ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control4 ,the ,sixth edition is exhausted1 and ,i am placing a requisition for the ,seventh4 ,there was never any question as to the unusual benefits that each student would derive from this new1 quick way of learning his instrument4 ,it is a fact established by tests and experience that training the muscles to work as fast as the brain--and training them away from the instrument so that the pupil has only this one thing to think about--does away with many hours of practice and develops a more perfect technique4 ,but the thing that pleases me most1 is to see the way our students have taken hold of the work4 ,it seems to me typical of the ,spirit of ,progress4 ,people want the very best they can obtain in the way of instruction4 ,they want to take advantage of every short-cut4 ,and that shows great wisdom4 ,money can be replaced many fold4 ,books can be replaced4 ,homes can be replaced4 ,every material thing can be duplicated4 ,but ,,time1 once spent is forever lost4 ,it is the young man and woman who takes advantage of those things which save the minutes and hours and days who make the startling successes in the world4 ,so ,i feel that we are doing a great service to ,humanity at large1 and to every lover of ,music in particular in bringing ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control to the fore4 ,indeed1 ,i believe we would be justified in insisting that every one of our students--beginners or advanced--cover the work4 ,every student who conscientiously follows the easy exercises outlined in this course is assured of becoming a better ,musician in shorter time1 with less effort1 and a real ,musician--not a mere player4 ,cordially yours1 ,h4 ,p4 ,longstreet4 ,,hpl3,v ,automatic ,finger ,control ,,introduction ,there are fifty-nine muscles in each arm1 including the hand1 which the ,musician is called upon to use in his playing4 ,if each of these are trained to the proper degree1 the heaviest part of the task is accomplished1 for not only does the control thus derived perfect technic and touch1 it also helps to overcome nervousness1 develops a velvety touch1 becomes an invaluable aid to sight reading1 and assists the student in gaining the power to accompany sympathetically and accurately at sight4 ,it is not necessary to exercise each of these muscles separately4 ,by careful study1 the method of ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control has been reduced to twenty-four weeks' work4 ,the exercises should be practiced the required number of times twice daily1 preferably upon arising in the morning1 and again in the evening4 ,each movement must be brisk1 and as complete a contraction of the muscles involved as possible4 ,perform the work with one hand at a time rather than trying to use both hands at once4 ,close mental attention to the movement involved will increase the benefits derived1 especially in the case of those exercises which require that you set one muscle working in opposition to another4 ,do not1 in your enthusiasm1 practice these exercises more than directed1 nor should you do them just before your work at the instrument4 ,this ,course comprises #ca exercises4 ,as you will see from the lessons1 it is not enough that each exercise be practiced a single week4 ,sometimes you will be required to work on a single exercise for two weeks in succession and from time to time the exercises will be reviewed4 ,the #ca exercises have been collected and placed in numerical order at the back of the manuscript4 ,the lessons are found in order at the front4 ,at the bottom of each lesson page the exercises for the week are delegated4 ,after you have studied your lesson sheet1 turn to the exercises required1 for the week's work1 study them carefully and practice faithfully4 ,do not1 under any circumstance1 run ahead of your course4 ,to get quick results1 you must practice the exercises in the order given1 devoting at least a week's time to each lesson4 ,if you are just starting to learn your instrument1 complete the first two lessons in ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control before you take up the practice on the instrument4 ,then take up the first instrumental lesson and do it in conjunction with ,lesson ,three of ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control4 ,always bear in mind that the main idea of this course is not the strength of the fingers1 nor even their suppleness4 ,the main idea is coordination between brain and muscle1 training the muscles so as to overcome the tendency of the fingers to move more slowly than the mind4 ,therefore1 give your entire thought and undivided attention to what you are doing as you practice the daily exercises4 ,if you will do this1 your progress will be rapid and sure4 ,,lesson #a4 ,you are starting something new--something that is going to play a ,,big part in your musical success4 ,the degree and speed of this success depends on one thing--,,you4 ,take warning from the old adage--8,a new broom sweeps clean40 ,you must strive for moderation in all things4 ,during the first few weeks1 you will be tempted to give too much time to the following exercises4 ,during the later weeks1 you may be tempted to neglect them because of the marked improvement which you have already received4 ,but be determined4 ,go through with the entire course just as it is outlined4 ,do each exercise the exact number of times each period that is called for4 ,and do the entire set both night and morning4 ,it is important that you do the various movements with considerable effort because the complete contraction of the muscles obtained in this way tends to squeeze the blood out of them1 thus drawing a new supply of fresh1 nourishing blood in replacement4 ,in this way1 you not only strengthen the muscles by the movement1 but you also feed both them and the nerves4 ,the fingers and wrists must bear a heavy part in the playing of any musical instrument1 therefore1 we will devote ourselves exclusively this week to strengthening these4 ,if the muscles tire easily and tend to stiffen up1 go a little easy the first few days1 but do some work each and every day4 ,the improvement will be all the more noticeable1 as you are evidently unusually in need of stronger fingers4 ,practice ,exercises #a1 #b1 #c1 and #d this week4 ,,lesson #b4 ,how are the fingers this week8 ,did they feel effect of starting regular practice8 ,even if they did1 the temporary lameness should be gone by now4 ,and we must continue these same movements another week4 ,pluck1 remember1 is that spirit in man which fails to understand despair--which keeps a man up even when he seems to be down4 ,do not falter4 ,keep everlastingly at it4 ,we add1 in this lesson1 an exercise for the forearm4 ,this is the next territory of importance to be brought under control4 ,you will have no difficulty with this new exercise4 ,the movement is of especial interest to students of the ,piano and ,organ1 though every musician should have the muscles involved under perfect command4 ,one of the greatest joys in playing is the ability to read at sight1 and to play accurately and with feeling4 ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control brings this finished ability more quickly than any other means1 for it teaches you once and for all how to manage your fingers4 ,the correct action soon becomes automatic1 indeed1 and then your full attention can be given to the beautiful hidden meanings of the piece you are playing4 ,that is the highest meaning of technic--to be able to play without any thought of the mechanical 8how40 ,if you are studying these lessons in conjunction with an instrument1 it will be well1 for the first few weeks to give more attention to the ,finger ,control exercises than to practicing on the instrument itself4 ,in this way1 when finally you do begin to play1 your advancement will be rapid and satisfactory4 ,for this week1 practice ,exercises #a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 and #e4 ,,lesson #c4 ,you should be coming along in good shape1 now1 so you are to have two new exercises this week4 ,one of them is particularly for the hand4 ,it is barely possible that this exercise of snapping the fingers open will cause the wrists to tire4 ,do not be discouraged by this4 ,that is a sure indication that you are in particular need of strengthening of these muscles1 and once they are built up1 you will find yourself doing constantly better work on the instrument4 ,the second of the new movements is for strengthening the upper arm4 ,remember to take it easy at first until the shoulder feels strong enough to resist the strain that is brought to bear upon it4 ,this valuable exercise will be continued next week4 ,many students find it convenient to learn the exercises for the week by heart1 and then practice them at odd moments as on their way to work4 ,this is quite satisfactory1 and if you are pressed for time1 it is a good idea to get into this habit4 ,,but1 be sure that you get in your two full periods each day4 ,review work in any study is of utmost importance4 ,after an exercise has been dropped from the current week's lesson1 make it a point to do it1 just the same1 at least once or twice a day4 ,in this way1 not only will you be assured of losing nothing of the work that has gone before1 but you will also progress faster with the new4 ,all of the muscles depend more or less on each other1 and what helps one1 helps all4 ,and remember--decision of character outstrips even talent and genius in the race for success4 ,exercises #e1 #f1 #g1 and #h this week4 ,,lesson #d4 ,are you in tune8 ,the finest ,stradivarius is only a sounding board and four strings--unless it is in tune4 ,and then1 it becomes a messenger of the soul1 indeed4 ,so is it with each one of us4 ,if we are in tune with the ,infinite1 the sky is blue vaulted above us2 the birds cleave the sky with sweetest of music2 there's a song in the heart1 and a smile on the lips4 ,how can we hope to interpret the secrets of the ,master-workers in ,music unless we ourselves are in tune8 ,take stock of yourself each day and see if you are really living4 ,the new exercise this week is for strengthening the fingers as well as for limbering up stiff joints4 ,around each of the finger joints1 there are transverse ligaments--bands of muscle which hold the lengthwise finger muscles in place and bind them to the bones4 ,unless one is using his fingers in a special and unordinary way1 these ligaments become stiff and inflexible1 so that the movement of the fingers is greatly hindered4 ,it is absolutely essential that these muscles should be limbered up and kept soft and pliable if you are to get any satisfactory movement of the fingers at your instrument4 ,do not overlook any of these exercises1 new or old4 ,each is designed to accomplish a certain definite object4 ,each must be practiced a certain1 definite number of times to get the best results4 ,this week1 do ,exercises #f1 #g1 #h1 #i1 and #aj4 ,lesson #e4 ,test out your ideals4 ,what is it you have in mind to accomplish8 ,unless you have the way plainly charted before you1 unless you are guided by the ever glowing light of a great ideal1 you are almost certain to be dashed upon the rocks of failure4 ,we graduate from the ,school of ,life only with the coming of ,death4 ,to some of us1 ,death comes early2 to others1 long years are granted for delving into the ever changing mystery of being4 ,but withal1 what we accomplish1 is dependent on the ideal that guided and urged on our step4 ,genius is infinite painstaking4 ,it is the determination bravely to learn the truth about ourselves and our fellow men4 ,with a fixed determination and a fixed ideal1 ,,you are of genius calibre6 ,a month ago you set out to learn to play by the ,short-,cut ,method4 ,this method holds unquestionable advantages which are available in no other way4 ,it saves weeks of weary practice at the instrument because it enables you to work to the very best advantage when you ,,do play4 ,it develops accuracy1 speed and sympathetic understanding4 ,here1 then1 is one ideal--the determination to learn to play1 so that you can give joy to others1 and so that you can take greater pleasure in self expression through the art of ,music4 ,the degree of your success will be measured only by the sincerity of your purpose4 ,it's up to you6 ,as ,charles ,dana ,gibson1 the famous artist says-- 8,there isn't any trouble with the world1 today4 ,the trouble1 if any1 is with the people in it40 ,exercises #g1 #h1 #i1 #aa1 and #ab4 ,,lesson #f4 ,you must take particular care with the wrist exercises in this week's lesson4 ,study the cuts until you are thoroughly acquainted with what is required1 and then put considerable 8steam0 behind the movements4 ,the exercise for both hands together will call into play certain of the finger muscles and strengthen them to the necessary degree for playing4 ,they will also help to free the transverse ligaments and thus relieve the fingers of stiffness4 ,in this exercise1 as in every other1 a feeling of fatigue or pain denotes a weak condition of the muscles4 ,it means proceed with caution4 ,it does ,,not mean to drop the exercise4 ,if the fingers get tired during the first few days of a new exercise1 you may use less muscular resistance for a while1 and in extreme cases1 you may be excused from going through the movements the full number of times4 ,but always remember1 too1 that tired muscles are a promise of exceptional reward4 ,if your need is great--if the muscles are particularly weak to start with--the benefits you derive from the proper strengthening and control of them will be positively amazing4 ,elbert ,hubbard said 8,responsibilities gravitate to the person who can shoulder them2 power flows to the man who knows how40 ,conditions are unusually good for the rapid advancement of the man who has the will to conquer--and knowledge of the weapon in his hands4 ,,you have both1 so ,i am expecting big things of you4 ,you would not disappoint me1 would you8 ,this week's work is ,exercises #i1 #aa1 #ac1 and #ad4 ,,lesson #g4 ,do you ever stop to think how truly marvelous is the ,music of ,nature8 ,the babbling brook1 the murmuring trees1 the singing birds1 the ocean's roar1 the peal of thunder1 the crash of storm1 the lowing cow1 the rustling grass2--all ,nature sings4 ,but how often we hear and failing to understand1 miss much of the joy of life4 ,it is only as we understand ,nature1 and our ,brother1 and ,ourself1 that we begin to understand ,god4 ,with that understanding we begin in reality to live and to acquire4 8,he who comprehends the nature of prayer0 it has been said 8bends not the knee4 ,he towers in majesty4 ,he goes forth to meet his own4 ,he ascends the mount and speaks with ,god40 ,or1 as ,emerson put it1 8,the things that are really for thee gravitate to thee40 ,the world is full of good things that are intended especially for you4 ,but1 if you want the best1 you must be ready--through understanding1 to receive the best4 ,you should be applying the benefits of the ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control ,method to actual daily playing1 now4 ,are you doing so8 ,just to learn a thing and then stick it away in the closet of your mind is a poor investment of time1 effort1 and money4 ,put what you know into service1 no matter what the subject may be4 ,it is action that begets success and commands reward6 ,without action1 the law of 8two plus two equals four0 would be an empty farce4 ,,do6 ,and do the best you know4 ,practice ,exercises #aa1 #ac1 #ae1 and #af4 ,,lesson #h4 ,irresolution is a worse vice than rashness4 ,he who shoots worst may sometimes hit the mark1 but he1 who shoots not at all can never hit it4 ,irresolution loosens all the joints of a state2 like an ague1 it shakes not this nor that limb1 but all the body is at once in a fit4 ,the irresolute man is lifted from one place to another1 so hatcheth nothing1 but addles all his actions4 ,it will pay you to think carefully on the above quotation from ,feltham4 ,also1 consider the following beautiful paragraph on ,faith4 ,faith is like the primitive granite of old ,new ,england4 ,dig down deep and you come to it below all superimposed strata4 ,go to the summit of the highest mountains and you find it1 on loftiest elevations4 ,faith begins as the basis of the infants knowledge2 it ends in leading us to know the bigness1 the grandeur of life4 ,on these two things1 to large degree1 depends your rapid success in learning to play through the ,method of ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control4 ,you must be filled with the faith and knowledge that each exercise has its particular place not only in strengthening the muscles1 but in preparing you for the work to come4 ,and knowing this1 you must be filled with resolution to work and achieve that you never falter by the way--that you never miss a practice period4 ,the ,exercises this week are #aj1 #ac1 #ae1 and #af4 ,,lesson #i4 ,do you make it a point to keep physically fit8 ,we are learning that ,music has a great deal to do with health1 and surely health has much to do with your ability to produce ,music4 ,music is being used more and more in the hospitals for quieting and cheering the patients4 ,music played an important part behind the lines in the great war in the way of lending support and courage to those so sorely in need of it4 ,what1 on the other hand1 has health to do with ,music8 ,music is self expression4 ,if that self which produces the melody be ill1 the fact will be reflected in the playing4 ,music displays the hurts of the body and the hurts of the heart1 as well4 ,so it behooves us who would be musicians to keep well in mind and body4 ,to a great extent1 this is just a question of common sense4 ,be thoughtful of your eating1 your sleeping1 and your exercise1 and let ,nature care for the rest4 ,but when misfortune of any kind does overtake you--and we are all caught at sometime or other--turn freely to your ,music for relief4 ,you will find it4 ,pour out your soul in the melody of your instrument4 ,if there is bitter in the heart1 let it come out4 ,get rid of it4 ,if there is sadness1 express it and replace it then with joy4 ,if there is doubt1 play on until at length comes peace again1 and sweet assurance4 ,music brings health--and health lends joy to ,music6 ,practice ,exercises #ab1 #ag1 #ah1 and #ai faithfully4 ,,lesson #aj4 ,it is necessary to train the muscles to act quickly1 accurately1 strongly1 and without easy tiring if you are to be a super-musician4 ,in order to acquire the independent1 individual movement of the fingers1 they have to go through the 8awkward squad0 stage1 it is true2 but with the proper1 thoughtful drilling1 which these lessons1 like an understanding officer gives1 they soon become familiar with the commands and learn to obey orders4 ,obedience is of absolute importance in learning ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control4 ,first obedience that you must give to the written word of the lesson4 ,and then obedience that you must demand of the muscles involved4 ,when you want your finger or whatever it may be to perform a certain movement1 do not accept anything short of perfection from it4 ,analyze each movement that seems to give trouble4 ,trouble--understand--is half removed4 ,if you demand perfect obedience from your fingers each and every time1 it will not take long for you to establish that very desirable connection--or shall we say understanding--between the brain and the fingers which will free you from the usual drudgery of fumbling for the notes at the instrument1 of only half comprehending what you are playing1 and of getting tired when you should still be fresh and enjoying yourself4 ,thus1 the habit of correctness is established4 ,if there be any good habits2 surely1 this is one of the best that a ,musician could acquire4 ,i commend it to you highly4 ,it well repays your effort in gaining it4 ,exercises #ag1 #ah1 #ai1 and #bj4 ,,lesson #aa4 ,sometimes1 as we go along in a course of lessons1 we are inclined to lose sight of the original purpose4 ,it often is well to look back and see what we set out to do1 and what we are accomplishing4 ,in the first place1 we started out to develop strength1 flexibility1 freedom of movement1 independent action1 and perfect control of each one of the fingers4 ,our purpose in doing these things is to enable one to save time in learning to play any musical instrument through specializing on the finger work which constitutes some nine-tenths of the battle4 ,at the same time1 other benefits are expected--greater self-reliance1 greater accuracy in sight reading1 and greater ease in accompanying4 ,in order to accomplish these ends1 we have been freeing the joints from stiffness and lameness4 ,we have been training the fingers to move more widely and more freely4 ,and we have been developing the muscles1 so that the fingers have been developed1 strengthened1 given greater speed and facility of action1 and their endurance increased4 ,with greater strength1 has come greater independence in action4 ,by this time1 you ought to be well started toward perfect control of each of the fingers4 ,since the whole course is based on careful1 scientific investigation1 the work has been built up in difficulty as the lessons went on1 so that there has been nothing really hard about them4 ,they are interesting and progressive4 ,that is as it should be4 ,as the course proceeds1 whether you have new or review work1 bear in mind that what is given is exactly what you need1 and what will help you most4 ,practice ,exercises #ag1 #ah1 #bj1 and #ba4 ,,lesson #ab4 ,great thought precedes all greatness4 ,no man is great whose thought is not great4 ,a pessimist and an optimist were discussing life from different angles4 8,i really believe10 said the former1 8that ,i could make a better world myself40 8,sure60 returned the optimist2 8,that's just what we're here for4 ,now let's get together and do it40 ,if you will get the right thought1 and then get to work1 you will accomplish your part in making a better world yourself4 ,one of the things that the world looks to you to do is to supply it with music--to bring harmony to quiet its tired and jangled nerves--to bring joyous melody to liven the grief bound heart--and to bring an atmosphere of rest to the sick and weary4 ,with this lesson1 you are completing the first half of the work on ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control4 ,you have already had most of the movements that are necessary for the efficient playing of your favorite instrument4 ,it still remains to make the habit of proper fingering second nature4 ,so1 although you will find the old exercises coming up from time to time in the remainder of the course1 do not slight them4 ,indeed1 your muscles should be so much stronger now1 that you can afford to run through the exercises three times a day instead of only twice4 ,suppose from now on you get in a short practice period at noon1 as well as night and morning4 ,yes6 ,it will be worth while4 ,think ,,big thoughts about this1 as well as about the rest of your daily tasks4 ,this week1 work on ,exercises #ag1 #ah1 #ba1 and #bb4 ,,lesson #ac4 ,,friends6 ,much has been said about friends--many beautiful things1 many apt phrases rich with understanding4 ,to me1 a friend is one who understands me--and loves me in spite of that fact4 ,one of my dearest friends is my piano1 and ,i feel that every musician must consider his instrument in this light just as ,i do4 ,when ,i am tired and discouraged1 or when ,i am joyful and full of hopeful expectation1 it makes no difference what the mood1 my piano responds to my every touch4 ,it sings with me when ,i would sing4 ,in minor chord it grieves to see me sad4 ,it can be light and airy when ,i will2 or if thought runs madly on and on1 lightly touching the heights of exaltation or delving into mirey depths beneath--still ,i am not alone4 ,and being not alone1 ,i stand4 ,i want you to learn to think of your instrument as a ,friend1 for ,i know the endless joy that such a close communion is bound to give4 ,would you have a friend8 ,then be one4 ,it applies with equal force as regards your instrument4 ,you must understand it just as thoroughly as you long to have it understand you4 ,that is where ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control should be a constant help to you4 ,it enables you to understand your instrument so much better4 ,the exercises take on a simpler mien1 now4 ,that is only possible1 however1 because of the good work you have already done4 ,keep it up6 ,starting ,review4 ,practice ,exercises #a1 #bb1 #bc1 and #bd4 ,,lesson #ad4 ,let me call your attention to the new exercise4 ,its particular purpose is the strengthening of certain of the finger muscles which will be used quite often in playing1 the limbering up of the fingers1 and the stretching of the muscular covering of the palms4 ,this exercise is not a difficult movement1 by any means1 but if you do it with considerable muscular resistance by the opposing sets1 you will bring a large number of muscles into play at one effort4 ,the mind is a wonderful1 yet peculiar thing4 ,some of the fads of great men typically exemplify this4 ,for example1 it is said that ,gluck could only compose in the open air4 ,when the spirit of composition took hold of him1 he dragged his piano out on the lawn1 and there evolved his beautiful harmonies4 ,and yet1 to me1 do you know1 that is not so peculiar after all4 ,gluck1 ,i take it1 wanted to get close to ,nature4 ,all of us feel the urge to draw nigh to ,nature4 ,that is one of the reasons we so dearly love ,music4 ,music is the portrayal of ,nature at her best4 ,another tale they tell is that ,chateaubriand dictated his works in his bare feet4 ,elegantly attired down to the extremities1 he padded softly up and down the floor1 his thin1 white feet and ankles very conspicuous on the dark rugs4 ,we all have peculiarities of living4 ,and ,musicians generally have similar peculiarities of playing4 ,do you know what yours are8 ,better take stock and see6 ,practice this week ,exercises #b1 #bc1 #be1 and #ca4 ,,lesson #ae4 ,if you use considerable muscular resistance in practicing the new exercise of this week's lesson1 you will find that the muscles used will tire quite readily4 ,this1 remember1 is proof that this particular work is badly needed4 ,as the days pass1 however1 and these muscles are strengthened to the required degree1 you will find yourself able to perform it a greater number of times and with perfect ease4 ,as in every other walk of life1 you don't get anything worth while without effort2 but as with the other exercises of this course1 results come surely and speedily4 ,elbert ,hubbard has said 8,improve your opportunities1 that's the thing6 ,decide on what you want to do and what you want to be and go after it6 ,you'll win1 and those fellows who chase the pee-wee1 manipulate the pasteboards1 and inhale cigarette smoke1 will be coming to you for advice1 to borrow money1 and for passes to the poor house40 ,you notice he said 8improve0 your opportunities4 ,he didn't use that old phrase about 8grasping0 them4 ,and ,i believe this was intentional on his part4 ,opportunity doesn't come to us so much as is commonly said4 ,opportunity is ever with us4 ,opportunity is just what we make it4 ,if we have the imagination to see the golden chances before us and to improve them1 we'll make good4 ,you are enjoying an unusual opportunity in the ,musical world in that you are permitted to learn to play your instrument the quick and easy way4 ,are you improving your opportunity8 ,exercises #e1 #be1 #bf1 and #bg4 ,,lesson #af4 ,in learning to lift weights1 athletes start with a very light load1 and by steadily increasing it a little at a time1 they are eventually able to develop tremendous strength4 ,you remember that old story about the farmer's boy who1 just a few years ago1 made a practice of picking up a calf and carrying it across the barn yard4 ,of course1 as the calf grew and became heavier1 the farmer boy's strength increased4 ,it had to1 otherwise he couldn't have continued to carry the calf around4 ,and so it went1 month after month1 year after year4 ,and now1 so they say1 the farmer boy is able to throw the bull4 ,it's a terrible story1 but we'll overlook that fact if only it impresses upon you one point ,i wish to make4 ,the new exercise in this week's lesson is based on the same principle as the weight-lifting methods4 ,you will see that you apply auxiliary pressure for the finger muscles to work against4 ,by using greater and greater pressure1 you can develop almost any amount of finger strength that you may desire4 ,so you should stick to the careful use of this exercise for many weeks to come4 ,speaking of doing an exercise week after week1 ,i sincerely trust that you are not neglecting your review work4 ,you are studying these lessons for what you get out of them4 ,if you really want to get your money's worth1 you must keep going over the lessons time and again4 ,and each time1 ,i can promise you1 you will find new benefits and pleasures4 ,devote your time this week to ,exercises #c1 #f1 #bg1 and #bh4 ,,lesson #ag4 ,,energy6 ,energy is that mysterious something that has the power to do work--to get results4 ,we can't see energy1 we can't smell or taste it1 we can't hear it1 nor is it anything we can feel4 ,but its results--we perceive them everywhere4 ,the heat in our homes and bodies is the result of energy4 ,the light that guides us by night and that brightens our daytime is the result of energy4 ,the electricity that turns motors and carries our messages is another name for that indescribable something--energy4 ,but one of the greatest sources of energy is the human mind4 ,each one of us has within himself tremendous possibilities4 ,we can work with our hands1 or we can work with our heads4 ,the choice rests largely with ourselves4 ,and the difference between a hundred thousand dollar a year man and a ditch digger is from the ears up4 ,can one indiscriminately convert himself between these extremes8 ,i don't know4 ,it is claimed1 however1 that the average person uses only one-tenth of his inherent mental ability4 ,and ,i am satisfied that the curse of the age is mental laziness4 ,how far the ditch digger can rise1 ,i believe depends wholly on how great an effort and sacrifice he is willing to make for his advancement4 ,every properly guided effort for advancement does1 eventually bear fruit4 ,move right up front in the forerank of ,musicians6 ,you can1 for your effort is properly guided4 ,exercises #d1 #g1 #bg1 and #bh comprise this week's work4 ,,lesson #ah4 ,it is true that these are days of specialization1 but one must be careful not to miss anything through too narrow a field of endeavor4 ,take ,music1 for instance4 ,you have taken the ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control ,method to enable you to learn to play some instrument in quicker time than would otherwise have been expected4 ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control is a specialized course4 ,sometimes1 musicians forget that there is another instrument or branch of ,music save their own4 ,that is where they make a mistake4 ,every ,musician should fit himself to teach4 ,i don't say that he should teach afterward1 but he should understand his instrument so well that he is perfectly capable of teaching it4 ,indeed1 ,i doubt if one truly knows a thing himself until he is able to teach it to others6 ,many of our students make a business of teaching4 ,whether you are going to teach1 or not1 you should consider taking up some of the other courses in ,music which run right along parallel with what you are doing4 ,the ,unit ,lesson ,system for ,voice ,perfection is something that every ,musician should have4 ,it is a very novel method whereby it is possible to get specific benefits from each individual lesson4 ,it is a complete ,vocal ,course1 and also teaches ,speech ,making1 ,gesture1 ,overcoming ,nervousness and ,stage-,fright1 ,how to develop a winning ,personality1 etc4 ,another course that you could take to advantage is the one in sight reading4 ,it would be a constant help4 ,write for full particulars about enrolling for these4 ,exercises #h1 #ad1 #be1 and #bf4 ,,lesson #ai4 ,if1 as has been said1 the purpose of words is to conceal thought1 then it may be equally as well said that the purpose of ,music is to reveal soul4 ,i don't suppose that there is a human being alive but that longs to be 8understood40 ,there are all too few in this world who are willing to give the time and thought and heart to the understanding of others4 ,and even if there were a greater willingness to understand1 too few of us are able to express our deepest thoughts in words4 ,but ,music is the ,universal ,language4 ,once we learn it1 the tips of our hearts creep out through the tips of our fingers4 ,there may be no one to hear4 ,perhaps no one would understand even if they were about4 ,but the blessed1 joyous part of it all is that at last we have found self expression1 and that is the next best thing to being understood4 ,remember that the composers of the ages have been talking through this language of soul in all that they have written4 ,as you play a piece of music1 you therefore have two tasks to perform4 ,you must strive to pass on the message that the ,masters left1 and you must interweave with it your own inner self4 ,that is what is meant by interpretation and expression4 ,you should study to be a good listener as well as a good player1 if you are to be a real ,musician4 ,hear all of the beautiful music that you can1 whether it be on your instrument or on some other4 ,music is bigger than any specific means for expressing it1 and with you1 ,music should be the first consideration4 ,the ,exercises this week are #i1 #ad1 #bc1 and #ca4 ,,lesson #bj4 ,i sometimes tremble when ,i realise how slight is the difference between success and failure4 ,success is the child of ,audacity4 ,failure is the offspring of discouragement4 ,there was a great inventor1 once--great not because of his worldly possessions1 but because he dreamed the most beautiful visions of helping humanity to bigger and better things4 ,he had worked long and arduously on one of his ideas hampered by lack of funds1 lack of friends1 and 7,i am sorry to say7 lack of food4 ,all the night through he had toiled over his model4 ,there was just one little part needed to give the necessary movement1 but the proper thought eluded him4 ,the cold gray dawn of another toilsome day found him discouraged and alone on a damp1 park bench4 ,he was thoroughly hopeless and ready to give up his idea and his ideal4 ,true1 the successful culmination of this experiment would mean fewer accidents in a great industry1 and fewer lives sacrificed to unnecessary carelessness4 ,but why struggle longer8 ,the world called him visionary and an impractical dreamer4 ,why fight8 ,indeed1 the fight had clean gone out of him4 ,death1 breakfast1 or the lock-up were equally welcome to him4 ,he was through6 ,and then1 the little thing happened4 ,the doorway across the street was opened4 ,through it came a piping childish voice in joyous morning song4 ,little feet pattered down the steps and soon the lisping notes came from directly at his side1 while a trusting little hand slipped confidently into his4 ,and at that minute the problem was solved--somebody trusted him1 somebody cared6 ,exercises #aa1 #bb1 #bd1 and #cj4 ,,lesson #ba4 ,half the giant's strength is in the conviction that he is a giant4 ,the strength of a muscle is enhanced a hundred-fold by the will power4 ,the same muscle1 when removed from the giant's arm--when divorced from the force of the mighty will--can sustain but a fraction of the weight it did a moment before it was disconnected4 ,if you have been studying these lessons aright1 you have not only developed strong muscles1 but you have also developed an understanding of the tremendous power you wield over them4 ,when your brain wills that the finger move quickly and with precision1 it should be enough4 ,without thought1 effort1 your will should be carried out4 ,there should be no faltering about this movement because the demand was definite1 and the muscles have been trained in obedience4 ,whenever you are called upon to play1 always bear in mind your complete mastery over your fingers4 ,you have nothing to worry about4 ,you can depend on your tools4 ,give your attention to the soul meaning of the composition you are playing2 or1 if you are doing accompaniment work1 make a conscious effort to efface yourself and make the soloist stand out1 the predominant influence4 ,in passing from the silent exercises to the instrument1 you must be careful still to maintain the correct muscular movements4 ,practice ,exercises #ac1 #ba1 #bd1 and #cj4 ,,lesson #bb4 ,candidly1 there is lots of room at the top in the world or music1 just as in any other line of endeavor4 ,on the other hand1 there is a clammering1 cluttering turmoil down at the bottom4 ,your own position is like that of a sensible tourist in the ,alps who hires a competent guide and provides himself with the necessary trappings for safe climbing4 ,there is no law to prevent this traveler inviting the guide to sit down with him at the hotel in the valley and play pinochle4 ,true1 he pays pretty heavily for the unused equipment and for the companionship4 ,besides that1 he never does see the glories of the heights4 ,but that is his privilege4 ,what are you doing with your musical equipment and the helpful guidance which has been yours8 ,are you enjoying yourself in the companionship of the valley1 or are you daring the paths of the mountain8 ,i can but urge you to struggle upward4 ,you are not beating a new path4 ,the way is so plainly outlined before you you need only actively aspire and soon the reward must be yours4 ,specifically1 what is there in store for the master ,musician8 ,there is the profession of teaching4 ,that ability is something that no one can ever take from you once you acquire it4 ,there is professional playing in ,church1 ,concert1 and ,orchestra4 ,later on1 you may wish to take our easy course in ,harmony and ,composition1 so that you can also write and arrange music4 ,it is thoroughly worth while4 ,particulars on request4 ,this week1 take ,exercises #ae1 #bj1 #bi1 and #ca4 ,,lesson #bc4 ,suppose you do make mistakes sometimes4 ,is that anything to be discouraged about8 ,not at all4 ,if only you learn by your mistakes and do not repeat the same one too often1 you are well on the road to improvement4 ,the only person who never makes an error is the person who never does anything4 ,steer clear of such a person4 ,but you who have practiced the ,method of ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control faithfully have less to worry about as regards making mistakes than the average student4 ,your fingers are especially trained to go the right place at the right time without any conscious effort on your part4 ,if you have not yet achieved this degree of skill1 the thing to do is--not complain--but devote a little more time to strengthening up the still recalcitrant muscles4 ,above all1 keep moving4 ,don't get stagnant4 ,idleness never won distinction in the world1 and never will4 ,the world does not owe us a living1 but each one of us does owe the world honest1 sincere work in whatever field we may choose for our endeavors4 ,god made man for employment and we cannot dodge the issue4 ,that means that everything we do must be done effectively4 ,when we are earning our daily bread1 we must give our best4 ,when we are playing1 we must play honestly4 ,when we are studying1 we must strive earnestly4 ,only as we do this can we enjoy life's bounties to the full and win the progress we desire and deserve4 ,exercises #aj1 #ag1 #ai1 and #bf for this week's study4 ,,lesson #bd4 ,with this lesson you end your first reading of the ,method of ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control4 ,i trust that none of you will consider the work finished1 however1 because you have only done the primary work4 ,with the greater strength of muscle and the broader understanding of the ,method itself1 you are now in a position to reap even more astounding benefits than you have already experienced4 ,there is no extra charge for this privilege4 ,all that you are required to do is to start at the beginning again and go through the entire course as before4 ,you will be surprised how many things you missed the first time over4 ,the brain develops in direct proportion to the studying you do4 ,and your understanding and appreciation increases to just the same extent that your brain develops1 so it stands to reason that you are in a better position to benefit by this course today than you were six months ago4 ,what you have already got out of ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control depends on what you have put into it4 ,it is like putting money in a bank and taking it out with interest4 ,you put your time in with the specific knowledge that years of study have made available to you in easily absorbed form1 and you take out a distinct saving in time and effort in learning to play your favorite instrument4 ,i believe that your success has already fully justified your every effort4 ,in parting1 let me assure you that you will always find that this formula works4 ,effort in a worthy cause brings ,,results4 ,exercises #ab1 #af1 #ah1 and #bh complete this ,course4 ,,exercise #a4 ,illustration ,hold your right hand before you1 double up your fist tightly1 thumb on the outside of the fingers4 ,the hand turned with the palm side facing you4 ,open the hand briskly and with considerable effort1 letting it turn around1 so that the back of the hand is now turned toward you4 ,be sure to get this point and turn the hand around as you open the fingers4 ,as you open the hand1 be sure to keep the fingers stiff and bend them back from the wrist as far as possible4 ,repeat this exercise twenty times4 ,,exercise #b4 ,illustration ,lift your elbows nearly as high as your shoulders4 ,lay your left hand1 palm up1 straight across your chest1 so that there is a straight line from the elbows to the finger tips4 ,the fingers of the right hand with the palm turned down are laid on the fingers of the left4 ,twist the hands and forearms in opposite directions1 until the hands come again into a similar position1 but with the palm of the right hand up4 ,reverse the action briskly4 ,go through the cycle twelve times4 ,,exercise #c4 ,illustration ,open the left hand out flat with the fingers loosely apart4 ,grasp the little finger with the thumb and fingers of the right hand4 ,very gently bend it backward1 as far as it will go without straining4 ,you must be careful not to overdo this at first4 ,now bend it forward to the palm2 back again and to the right and left4 ,do this six times1 allowing the little finger to move freely4 ,now repeat the exercise1 only instead of allowing the little finger to move freely1 try to hold it rigid and immovable4 ,of course the muscles of the little finger will be unable to stand the greater strength of your right hand1 and it is intended that the finger should move1 but in each case it should move against the resistance of the finger muscles4 ,repeat this exercise against resistance fourteen times4 ,go through this entire process with each of the other fingers and the thumb of the left hand4 ,then take up the exercise with each of the fingers of the right hand1 moving them with your left4 ,,exercise #d4 ,illustration ,lay the left hand flat palm down on a table1 book1 or other smooth surface4 ,open the thumb out of the way of the fingers4 ,grasp the index finger of the left hand with the thumb and finger of the right hand4 ,allowing the finger to move freely1 draw it along the surface as far as possible without straining the muscles4 ,do this five times4 ,now with the finger muscles resist the movement1 and repeat the exercise five times more4 ,allowing the finger to move freely once more1 lift it from the table in a large semi-circle1 and swing it over towards the thumb and down to the table again4 ,repeat five times4 ,go through this same movement five times with muscle resistance4 ,carry out these exercises on the other fingers of the left hand1 and then on all of the fingers of the right hand4 ,,exercise #e4 ,illustration ,put your right hand and arm down at your side1 fingers extended4 ,keeping the elbow and upper arm close to the body1 bend the arm briskly at the elbow1 still keeping the hand open1 and in a straight line with the forearm4 ,repeat this exercise twelve times with the palm of the hand turned toward the shoulder1 and twelve times with the palm of the hand turned away from the shoulder4 ,now raise the upper arm1 so that the elbow bends slightly upward from the shoulder4 ,repeat the same bending action of the elbow twenty times4 ,the position of the hand is immaterial in this exercise4 ,go through these motions with the left arm4 ,,exercise #f4 ,illustration ,hold your left hand up in front of you with the palm facing you4 ,press the index finger and the middle finger tightly together4 ,bring the two still held tightly together down to the palm1 and then back straight again1 quickly1 briskly and with muscular resistance4 ,the motion should be from the knuckle joint4 ,naturally the other fingers will have a tendency to curl4 ,it makes no difference if they do4 ,repeat this exercise twenty times4 ,next practice this exercise using the middle and the ring fingers pressed together1 letting the little finger and the index finger remain as straight as possible4 ,do the same exercise with the little finger and the ring finger together4 ,these same motions should be gone through with the right hand4 ,,exercise #g4 ,illustration ,bring the finger tips of the right hand together with the tip of the thumb1 spreading the fingers at the middle knuckle and rounding the whole back of the hand4 ,from this position snap the whole hand out flat1 with the fingers spread wide apart4 ,do this forcibly4 ,quickly return to the original position and repeat the exercise twelve times4 ,this same exercise is to be performed with the right hand4 ,,exercise #h4 ,illustration ,raise your left arm so that the elbow is sticking out in front of you almost as high as the shoulder4 ,bend the arm at the elbow1 so that the forearm reaches straight up in the air4 ,close your hand loosely4 ,with a rotating movement of the upper arm1 bring your fist down as low as it will go1 still keeping the elbow at the same spot4 ,return to the original position4 ,repeat this exercise twelve times4 ,at first it will be advisable to do this rather slowly and without too great effort1 because of considerable strain in the region of the shoulder blade4 ,later1 as the muscles become stronger and more supple1 you can increase the speed and the intensity of the effort4 ,repeat the same exercise with the right arm4 ,,exercise #i4 ,illustration ,stand straight with the arms down at your side4 ,double up your right fist4 ,keeping the arms straight1 swing it back as far as possible and then front until it is directly overhead4 ,just the same as you do when you swing your arm in walking1 only more so4 ,continue swinging the arm this way1 but instead of swinging it back at your side1 move it around1 so that your arm finally swings up across the chest to the overhead position4 ,the idea is to swing it1 changing the plane gradually so that you pass through all the different positions between the side plane and the chest plane4 ,repeat the same motions with the left arm4 ,standing straight in military position as above1 raise your right arm straight out from the shoulder1 fist closed4 ,without bending the elbow1 swing the arm back and forth as far as possible1 on a level with the shoulders4 ,raise the arm a little and continue this swinging movement1 each time raising it a little higher1 then gradually descend passing from the shoulder level and continuing down4 ,perform the same exercise with the right arm4 ,caution3--,these exercises must not be done too strenuously at first1 as there is a severe strain on the shoulder blades4 ,after the muscles become a little hardened1 you can carry out these exercises with more vigor and about ten times in each of the varying positions4 ,,exercise #aj4 ,illustration ,open out the left hand before you1 with the fingers close together4 ,hold the thumb apart4 ,move the first finger as far toward the thumb and away from the other fingers as possible1 and back again4 ,do this gently and easily five times4 ,now let the muscles of the hand and fingers become tense1 so that as you draw the finger over towards the thumb with one set of muscles1 the opposing set resists the motion4 ,repeat this ten times4 ,go through this same movement with each of the other fingers of the left hand and then with each of the fingers of the right hand4 ,,exercise #aa4 ,illustration ,hold out your right hand1 the palm facing you4 ,separate the little finger slightly from the rest4 ,with a brisk1 sharp movement1 twist the hand at the wrist to the left1 so that the little finger moves down as low as possible4 ,repeat this exercise twelve times4 ,perform the same exercise twelve times with the left hand4 ,,exercise #ab4 ,illustration ,open the left hand1 thumb and fingers1 all close together1 turning the hand so that the thumb is towards your body and the little finger away from it4 ,bend the first finger at the knuckle joint1 and nowhere else1 and bring it down toward the palm of the hand until it is horizontal1 that is at right angles to the plane of the palm and the other fingers4 ,if it will not come down of itself1 help it a little with the other hand1 but be careful not to strain the left hand muscles when you are first starting this exercise4 ,try not to move the other fingers of the left hand while you are bending the index finger downward4 ,repeat this motion ten times4 ,go through this exercise with each of the other fingers in turn4 ,the first day you do this exercise1 do it without any muscular resistance to the motion4 ,afterwards1 from day to day1 add more and more resistance as the fingers become stronger4 ,,exercise #ac4 ,illustration ,hold the right hand edgewise before you1 the thumb towards the chest4 ,have the fingers closed tightly together and bring the thumb firmly against the first finger4 ,with a sharp1 quick action1 open the thumb away from the finger1 so that it points over your shoulder2 at the same time bending the entire hand sideways at the wrist1 bringing the thumb still nearer the shoulder4 ,the movement must be quite snappy to get the desired effect4 ,repeat twelve times4 ,perform this exercise twelve times with the left hand4 ,,exercise #ad4 ,illustration ,extend both hands in front of you1 palms together2 the fingers of each hand held tightly against those of the other2 the thumbs separated from the fingers and pointed toward you4 ,raise the elbows from the body1 then slowly and with muscle resistance1 move the palms apart4 ,leave the fingers together from base to tip4 ,just as slowly and with muscle resistance1 close the palms again4 ,repeat this exercise five times4 ,,exercise #ae4 ,illustration ,hold your left arm across the chest palm up1 but with the wrist bent as far down as possible1 the fingers easily curled4 ,place the right arm in a similar position1 but with the palm down1 having the wrist of the right hand bent upward and fingers similarly curled4 ,lay the finger tips of the right hand on those of the left4 ,from this position twist the forearms in opposite directions until the finger tips again come together1 this time the palm of the right hand bent up1 and of the left bent down4 ,reverse the motion and repeat the exercise twelve times4 ,,exercise #af4 ,illustration ,extend the left hand and close the fingers down to the palm1 keeping the knuckle joints straight and bending only the two outer joints4 ,holding the other fingers motionless1 straighten out the index finger4 ,you must be careful throughout the entire exercise1 never to move the knuckle joint4 ,repeat five times without muscular resistance1 then go through the exercise with the muscles tense1 so that one set resists the motion of the other4 ,practice this exercise on each of the remaining fingers on the left hand and on all of the fingers of the right4 ,,exercise #ag4 ,illustration ,stand erect1 shoulders back1 and without bending forward1 lean far over to the right from the waist line4 ,as you do this1 let the right hand bend toward the left knee4 ,while in this position1 make a short but strong thrust1 entirely from the right shoulder which will bring the fingers of the right hand possibly an inch nearer the left knee4 ,straighten up1 bend to the left and thrust out the left shoulder4 ,repeat this exercise first with the right and then with the left twelve times4 ,,exercise #ah4 ,illustration ,hold the right hand before you1 the fingers relaxed1 and slightly curved1 palm facing you4 ,grasp the second1 third and little fingers gently with your left hand1 and bend the forefinger down to the palm from the second joint4 ,use considerable pressure each time you bring the finger down to the palm and repeat the exercise eight times1 allowing the finger to become fully relaxed between each motion4 ,repeat this exercise for the middle finger ten times4 ,for the ring finger1 do this exercise twelve times4 ,for the little finger1 do this exercise ten times4 ,proceed with the same series of exercises for the left hand4 ,,exercise #ai4 ,illustration ,hold your left hand before you1 the fingers bent down to the palm1 and reaching as far toward the wrist as possible4 ,extend the first finger4 ,open gradually so as not to move the others4 ,do this five times without muscular resistance and five times with4 ,go through the same exercise with each of the other fingers4 ,,exercise #bj4 ,illustration ,place the hand on any flat surface and keeping it straight1 raise the first finger as far as you can from the table4 ,do not bend any joints save that at the knuckle4 ,repeat this ten times using increasing muscular resistance4 ,perform this exercise with each of the fingers4 ,,exercise #ba4 ,illustration ,place the hand on a flat surface with the fingers curved so that just the tips and the base of the palm touch the table4 ,raise and lower the fingers one after the other slowly and with muscular resistance4 ,bring the fingers down with considerable pressure each time4 ,repeat twenty times with each hand4 ,with the fingers in the same position raise the thumb as high as possible1 and bring it down sharply to the table4 ,repeat twenty times with each thumb4 ,,exercise #bb4 ,illustration ,open the left hand with the fingers together but the thumb out of the way4 ,move the index finger so that the tip of it circles around down toward the palm1 over to the thumb1 to the back1 and returns to the original position4 ,keep the fingers straight all of the time4 ,repeat this without muscular resistance five times4 ,now stiffen the muscles of the finger1 so that one set resists this motion1 while the other set overcoming the resistance1 causes the finger to circle as before4 ,repeat five times4 ,go through the same exercise with each of the other fingers of the left hand1 and then with all of the fingers of the right hand4 ,,exercise #bc4 ,illustration ,extend the fingers of the left hand1 with the little finger away from you and the thumb opened and pointing away from the palm1 that is toward your right4 ,bring the index finger down until it is at right angles to the palm1 bending only at the knuckle joint4 ,let the knuckle joint straighten up again and at the same time bend the other two joints of the finger1 so that the finger tip goes down to the palm of your hand4 ,repeat this exercise five times without resistance1 and then five times with resistance4 ,continue the exercise of each finger of the left and right hands4 ,,exercise #bd4 ,illustration ,lay the right hand flat on a table or other hard plane surface1 fingers and thumb far out-spread4 ,press firmly with the whole hand on the table4 ,continuing this downward pressure1 exert an upward pressure against it with the finger tips1 and raise the body of the hand about #a inches from the table top4 ,throughout this entire exercise try to keep the back of the hand parallel with the table4 ,after you have reached the desired height1 press the hand down to the table top again against muscular resistance4 ,repeat this exercise ten times4 ,perform the same exercise with the left hand4 ,,exercise #be4 ,illustration ,place the elbows at the side1 forearms horizontal1 with your hands out in front of you4 ,bend the hands downward at the wrist with the fingers loose and gently curved4 ,then bend the hands upward from the wrist as far as they will go4 ,this exercise may be done with both hands at the same time4 ,repeat ten times4 ,with your forearms extended in front of you1 and the hands held straight out1 fingers spread wide apart1 palms down1 move the hands at the wrist slowly from side to side with considerable muscle resistance4 ,do not move the arm4 ,all motion must be from the wrist1 and in a side-wise direction4 ,repeat ten times4 ,extend the forearms and hands in front of you1 palms up1 with the fingers held close together4 ,moving from the wrist as a pivot1 and from no other joint describe as large a circle as possible with the finger tips using muscular resistance1 slowly ten times1 then reverse the motion and repeat ten times circling back in the opposite direction4 ,,exercise #bf4 ,illustration ,fold the hands together1 fingers interlaced4 ,hold them tightly closed4 ,now raise the first finger of the right hand and bring it back slowly with muscles tense1 just as far as you possibly can1 pressing the other fingers hard against the backs of the hands4 ,repeat this exercise twelve times for each one of the fingers4 ,,exercise #bg4 ,illustration ,extend the left hand before you1 fingers close together4 ,moving only the joint down near the wrist1 swing the thumb around in a circle4 ,do this five times without muscular resistance and five times with4 ,repeat this exercise with the thumb of the right hand4 ,,exercise #bh4 ,illustration ,lay your right hand1 palm down1 flat on any plane surface4 ,press the fingers quite firmly down on the table4 ,place the forefinger of the left hand on the nail of the forefinger on the right hand with a slight amount of pressure4 ,raise the forefinger of the right hand as high as possible from the table against this pressure4 ,keep the forefinger of the right hand straight1 save at the knuckle joint1 and the other fingers firmly on the table4 ,return the finger to the table against muscular resistance4 ,repeat this exercise twenty times4 ,go through this same exercise with the other fingers of the right hand1 then reverse and proceed with the fingers of the left hand4 ,do this exercise with the thumb nail1 but instead of having the whole hand flat on the table1 have the fingers curl1 so that the side of the hand touches the table1 and raise the thumb against the pressure of the finger of the opposite hand twenty times4 ,,exercise #bi4 ,illustration ,extend both hands in front of you1 palms together1 the fingers of each hand held tightly against those of the other1 the thumbs separated from the others and pointed toward you4 ,raise the elbows from the body1 then slowly and with muscular resistance move the palms apart1 keeping only the tips of the fingers together4 ,push hard with the finger tips against each other4 ,just as slowly and with muscle resistance close the palms again4 ,repeat this exercise five times4 ,,exercise #cj4 ,illustration ,extend the left hand and spread the fingers and thumb as far as possible4 ,slowly1 and with muscular resistance1 bring the tip of the first finger and the tip of the thumb together1 forming a circle4 ,return to the original position4 ,repeat ten times4 ,do this exercise with each of the other fingers of the left hand1 and then with each of the fingers of the right hand4 ,,exercise #ca4 ,illustration ,fold your hands together interlaced4 ,hold them together tightly4 ,now against muscular resistance1 slowly open the palms and the base of the wrist and as slowly close them together again4 ,repeat this exercise ten times4 ,,first ,,examination #a4 ,what time do you practice ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control each day8 #b4 ,how many times have you missed your practice periods during this first six weeks8 #c4 ,do ,exercise ,no4 #a twenty times with the left hand4 ,do the muscles between the wrist and elbow feel tired8 #d4 ,take ,exercise ,no4 #ab first with the left hand and then with the right4 ,which muscles feel tired from this8 #e4 ,what marked improvement have you already noted from practicing ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control8 ,,second ,,examination #a4 ,take ,exercise #ad4 ,how far apart can you separate the base of the palms without separating the fingers8 #b4 ,which muscles does ,exercise #ag tire8 #c4 ,which finger of which hand feels most tired after ,exercise #ah8 #d4 ,do ,exercise #ah4 ,how high can you raise the ring fingers8 #e4 ,in which muscles have you noted greatest improvement so far8 ,,third ,,examination #a4 ,can you do ,exercise #be without tiring any muscles8 ,if not1 which8 #b4 ,do you perform ,exercise #cj quickly or slowly8 #c4 ,what time each day do you practice ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control8 #d4 ,how many days have you gone without practicing at all8 #e4 ,just how does having stronger1 more supple fingers help you8 ,,fourth ,,examination #a4 ,which exercise of this course did you find most difficult8 #b4 ,do you still have trouble with any exercises8 ,which8 #c4 ,are you able to master your lessons at the instrument more rapidly now than when you took up ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control8 #d4 ,take ,exercise #af with muscle resistance1 ten times instead of five4 ,can you do it equally well with each finger8 #e4 ,write me all of the ways in which ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control has helped to make a good player of you in shorter time and with less practice at the instrument4 ,,post ,,script ,you have something more today than you had six months ago before you took up ,,automatic ,,finger ,,control4 ,you have a nest egg4 ,and yet1 it is something more valuable1 even1 than a nest egg in its ordinary sense of capital4 ,you have a specific knowledge and ability and dexterity that can never be taken from you4 ,if you have carried out the exercises of this course in accordance with the instructions1 you are already far on the way toward the supreme mastery of your instrument4 ,we are always glad to hear of this progress from our students4 ,write us and let us know of the marvelous results attained in your own case4 ,but capital1 to yield returns1 must be put to work4 ,and so must your new-found art4 ,you have strengthened and trained your fingers to greater skill than that enjoyed by the average musician4 ,you should take advantage of that fact4 ,fundamentally1 there is a strong similarity between all of the instruments4 ,they all require the use of the same finger muscles4 ,they all make use of notes4 ,herein lies a wonderful opportunity for you to make music more and more valuable and profitable to you as the years go by4 ,you are now ready to take up further musical study4 ,we strongly recommend that each student learn to play not only one instrument1 but several4 ,it is not hard with the start you already have4 ,we make very attractive offers to our students who take up the study of a second instrument4 ,if you are in doubt as to what instrument to study next1 write us4 ,and sooner or later1 you should also study ,harmony1 ,composition and ,voice4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,silently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in spelling4 #b4 ,retained archaic1 non-standard1 and uncertain spellings as printed4 #c4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4