Runs

[dss62467]

Working on Mozart Violin Sonata #36 to play with my teacher at the June recital (he's doing the violin part).  I have a solo run on the piano, followed by a chromatic scale from low c# to high c# - that part's pretty easy.... but the run.... how do I make this even?   I'm going c-d-c-b flat - a-c-a-b flat-a-g-f-e-f-g-f-e   you get the idea... all the way down to lower c before picking up the chromatic scale.    I can't seem to keep the tempo steady.   Do I just keep trying it slowly and gradually increase the speed once I can do it evenly at a slower speed, or it there a trick to it?

[stevebob]

Although it seems counterintuitive, many people find that deliberately exaggerated unevenness promotes greater control over the eventual smooth rhythmic uniformity that's desiired.  Assuming the "run" is a sequence of notes of equal value, try practicing the passage in a variety of different rhythms like these (for groupings in simple meter and compound meter, respectively):

[landru]

Yup, I recommend what Stevebob said. Greatly exaggerating the rhthym in different ways really, really helps on these problems. I think it forces the fingers (and head) out of their rut and realigns them - sometimes it works almost like magic!