Klarinet Archive - Posting 000348.txt from 1994/12

From: Bruce Hudson <HUDSONB@-----.COM>
Subj: getting started
Date: Tue, 20 Dec 1994 21:04:56 -0500

My initial thought is why waste busy professional's time with such
elementary enquiries, but having now downloaded several offerings
on the availability of cup holders, I'm convinced that my question
has some merit.

I'm a 50 year old beginner, but I'm in the habit of getting into
the things I do intensely and at the highest possible level
possible within the limitations of age, talent etc. My frustration
is what seems to me to be an extremely limited time my embouchure
and lower lip will support daily practice. I've been taking
lessons since the first of August and I've worked "up to" three to
four twenty to thirty minute sessions daily interspersed with ten
minute breaks. However after the first session I seem to be
limited to three or four (taken a pretty slow cadence) measures of
the Klose exercises for example. And by the end my lower lip feels
like a balloon stretched across my teeth, and I'm no longer sure I
can muster a smile.

My questions are the following:

generally what kind of endurance (in terms of time) do even
experienced, professional players have; and

is there anybody out there with experience with students in a
similar mode and how long did it take be able to practice in
really large hunks of time.

I'm infinitely patient with what has to be developed-- even
delighted that my mind's ear wants so much more, and I'm even
fairly adjusted to the fact that with such a late start, I'll
probably never reach a really satisfying level of play. However,
its very frustrating to find myself so limited in what I can do
about it (for example I would much rather be practicing right not
than pecking away here at the keyboard.)

Bruce Hudson, Raleigh, NC (HUDSONB@-----.com)

   
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