Klarinet Archive - Posting 000546.txt from 2000/02

From: alevin@-----. Levin)
Subj: Re: [kl] Rhythm training, was: daily playing
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 12:32:56 -0500

To all who have been following this string:

It took me a very long time to learn relaxation. I'm certain that my
teachers told me to relax; but it never quite got through to my brain. All
through college and grad school my playing was on a plateau. Once in a
blue moon I could play up to my own expectations; but not often. I was an
adult (actually 33) before I was able to integrate relaxation, good
breathing and a proper embouchure and use the technique I already had. My
playing improved dramatically - almost overnight. I've always regretted
the wasted time. It altered my career choice. While I'm happy with my
career, now, I don't wish to see more young players miss out on the option
of a performance career - or ever miss the satisfaction of playing as well
as they can.

Allen

At 10:32 AM 6/11/00 -0700, you wrote:
>Yes, flexibility, patience, and learning the phrases in bits and pieces is
>important to me.
>
>At 10:42 AM 2/11/00 -0500, Allen J. Levin wrote:
>>No! No! No! Tony is absolutely correct. Playing an instrument is very
>>much like olympic biathlon [sp]. Part of you body must work very hard; yet
>>it must be totally relaxed. Stiff fingers and/or long "strokes" with the
>>fingers are signs of tension. If you are tense the most perfect
>>flexibility will only delay fatigue. Why make your body do more work than
>>it must. (If you want to do that go get some strenuous exercise.)
>>
>>Flexibility is only a prerequisite component. Good breathing is at least
>>as important. (My wife teaches voice and voice therapy. She was surprised
>>to learn that wind players - in general - must breathe exactly as good
>>singers who wish to preserve their voices.)
>>
>> Allen
>>
>> At 08:40 PM 2/10/00 EST, you wrote:
>>>
>>>On Thu, 10 Feb 2000 01:57:46 +0100 "Rien Stein" <rstein@-----.nl>
>>>writes:
>>>>At Wed, 09 Feb 2000 11:26:11 GMT Tony Pay commented finger movements
>>>>when
>>>>playing.
>>>>
>>>>Tony, I must thank you. You have made explicit to me, what I have been
>>>>trying to teach my students, but never could say so well. I printed
>>>>your
>>>>remarks, I am quite sure I will re-read them often. One point in your
>>>>comment I missed however, IMHO the most important thing of playing
>>>>clarinet,
>>>>or, as to me, any instrument: relaxation. Sometimes, especially in
>>>>difficult
>>>>passages, I notice, that my students not only are lifting their
>>>>fingers
>>>>unduly high (but see your notes), but also stretch them out as far as
>>>>possible. And then afterwards press them down as if they had to go
>>>>through
>>>>the instrument with their fingers.
>>>
>>>I strongly agree, IF you change the term 'relaxation' to flexible motion
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>As to the remarks by Walter Grabner, Wed, 9 Feb 2000 12:11:52 EST I
>>>>must say
>>>>his technique is the same David Pino in his book promotes, and is what I
>>>>think we all know. What I often tell my students, is, when they
>>>encounter a
>>>>particularly awkward passage, to play it from the back: first the last
>>>two
>>>>notes, then the last three notes, and so on, always starting at a low
>>>speed,
>>>>but accelerating, till it can be played at a tempo that is experienced
>>>as
>>>>the correct one.
>>>I also like working from the end to beginning.
>>>
>>>> It helped me master almost everything that is up to my (for
>>>>you pro players of course low) level, but sometimes I had, and will
>>>have, to
>>>>find different ways. It requires some creativity, and that is why, I
>>>think,
>>>>what makes playing more interesting, than listening.
>>>
>>>One of the best things i find when i get to a clarinet coach is the
>>>varied ways to solve complications.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>My two cents
>>>>
>>>>Rien (note the correct spelling)
>>>
>>>add my two cents too(grin) are we up to 4?
>>>
>>>annhall
>>>
>>>~Ann H Satterfield~
>>>Principal Clarinet
>>>Imperial Sym.Orch.
>>>Lakeland, Florida
>>>
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>>
>>
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