Remember that accidentals are not accidents. They are deliberate, important, and entail great responsibility.
When you see an accidental:
- you should be curious and excited!
- you should be listening for what the composer intended
- you should listen for how it changes the harmony against the rest of the parts
- you should feel the responsibility for the change in harmony
Also:
- take note of the original key and the finger patterns in that key
- take note of how each accidental changes the finger pattern/fingering
- be aware of how each accidental changes how the other notes feel
- take note of how long the accidental lasts – does it affect more than one note in the bar?
- take note of when the accidental stops taking effect
Preparation
- Scan through the music for accidentals.
- Carefully plan out how to play each accidental.
- Practice each passage carefully and check for accurate intonaton.