Klarinet Archive - Posting 000146.txt from 1997/07

From: deerich@-----.net
Subj: Re: clarinet playing
Date: Sat, 5 Jul 1997 21:32:06 -0400

> > Nick Yip
> >
> > nyip@-----.edu
> >

Also when you get advice from a teacher, ask them tactfully about the
reason for that suggestion. For example you have gotten what appears to
be conflicting advice on your embouchure. On higher notes it does need
to be a bit tighter than on lower. But if one goes too far, they end up
"biting" which leads to poor tone etc. Each teacher may have been right
at the time he spoke.

In other words, get more details on what the goal is so that you can be
an active and knowledgeable participant in the learning process. This
way you will develop a broad based knowledge of WHY things work and can
apply it better. Then much of the
information will not seem as contradictory.

Here are some possibilities to improve your sight reading.

1. Practice scales and arpeggios looking at printed music. The Klose
book is very good. Try learning to see these as patterns rather than
individual notes so that you can recognize the patterns in other pieces.
2. Start a specific sight reading study. For a week or so, sight read
very simple and slow children's tunes. Try to look a beat or measure
ahead while you play the current note(s). Then the next week music that
is only a little harder. Work up week by week. It may be that you have
tried to sight read things that are too difficult too soon so you never
really got the hang of it.
3. Then of course there is music so complex that very few people can
adequately sight read it so don't let this worry you.

Good luck and enjoy your clarinet,

Dee