Klarinet Archive - Posting 000201.txt from 1999/09

From: Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] 52 year old 'beginner' needs help - please!
Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1999 21:35:28 -0400

"Paulette W. Gulakowski" wrote:

> Okay, we are the same age with a similar affliction. The biggest help
> I've had lately, is to join a community band - you HAVE to play fast
> sometimes! It will build your self confidence, too and you'll find that
> as you practice with a group, your skills will increase (often without
> even trying very hard)
> I, too, have occasional dates with "Art". I try to massage my fingers
> and stretch them as often as possible - like during the sermon, or
> waiting for my e-mail to download. Don't crack your knuckles, though ;-)
> , when I'm driving - finger combos on the steering wheel (used to commute
> 2 hours a day), spider pushups and so on. This seems to help me. Also a
> couple of aspirin prior to a playing session seems to help keep things
> even. None of the above is scientific - empirical for my self only -
> none is proven (or disproven for that matter).
> It's probably bushwah about the scales - go ahead and learn them. You
> know that bumblebee can't possibly fly!
> Good luck!
> Paulette

Dear Paulette,
Nice to meet you! I do belong to an adult community band and love it.
Presently, the music is rather easy for me although I play 1st clarinet
parts. The band is made up of adults who've played many years, others who
played a long time ago, and others who are rank beginners. I'm looking for
a more challenging band to play in on a different night. I assume as
everyone improves, I'll be challenged more. Also, I play in a clarinet
quartet, and that's a blast!

Something that may also help you (and me) is soaking your hands in quite
warm water for about three minutes, then contrast with one minute of very
cold water, and maybe back to hot. This seems to help circulation to the
hands and fingers.

Good luck and thanks. Keep in touch.

Audrey Travis

>
> <==ooo'=ooo;;=<)
>
> On Sat, 04 Sep 1999 20:25:21 -0700 Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.com>
> writes:
> >I began playing clarinet two years ago at age 50, and am studying
> >with
> >Wes Foster, principal clarinet of the Vancouver Symphony. Wes is
> >great
> >and has helped me tremendously, but now that I'm on the Net, I'd like
> >more ideas. My two main problems at this stage are finger and tongue
> >speed. First, the fingers - they don't want to move very fast,
> >especially the RH pinkie and the finger next to it, and the LH
> >pinkie.
> >I suspect I may have a bit of arthritis to add to the problem. Does
> >anyone have any suggestions to limber up all my fingers - perhaps
> >exercises to develop the strength of my fingers ( a physiotherapist
> >once
> >told me my fingers are a bit weak). At this stage, I can do 16th
> >note
> >passages only very slowly and usually only if the notes are pretty
> >much
> >stepwise. My fingers also seem reluctant to do certain note (finger)
> >combos quickly - like lifting off several fingers together especially
> >if
> >either pinkie is involved. Any help out there?
> >
> >Also, my fingering and tongueing speed are sometimes uncoordinated -
> >I
> >can often slur a passage accurately, but may not be able to tongue
> >and
> >move fingers at the same speed - for example the 3rd movement of the
> >Mozart Clarinet Concerto - full bar 7 - I can play this if I slur the
> >whole thing, but my finger and tongue speed don't match if I tongue
> >it
> >all at the same tempo. Ideas? Wes has taught me to move fingers
> >before
> >I tongue, but I guess I'd have to practice this very slowly at first
> >and
> >finally speed up.
> >
> >Any useful ideas that might make sense to a 52 year old whose limbs,
> >fingers and brain don't move as fast as they used to? A youthful
> >clarinet playing friend of mine says her teacher insisted on her
> >learning all the scales, etc. before age 19 (?) because after that it
> >would be too late. Hope that teacher was wrong!!
> >
> >Any ideas will help.
> >
> >Audrey Travis
> >E-mail: vsofan@-----.com
> >
> >
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