Klarinet Archive - Posting 000521.txt from 2001/10

From: Stan Geidel <sgeidel@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] "successful faking"
Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2001 23:43:54 -0400

Well, Lacy, we have some philosophical differences here. You say,

<<It's just if there is a particular passage that even professionals have
great difficulty whiffing out, faking is a good way to go, especially if the
passage is just for effect and won't be heard anyway.>>

A few comments... first off, professionals work their tails off to play all
those tough passages, and yes, this may be done with great difficulty, but
the real pros actually play all that stuff, and take great pride in doing
so. That's part of being a professional. Second, faking is never a "good
way to go." It's the easy way out, and a false way at that. It's certainly
not a professional approach. Third, if a passage is "for effect," the
effect is best achieved with the notes the composer wrote. Why did the
composer bother to write those specific notes, if they weren't important?
Finally, don't assume no one can hear those passages. Importantly, YOU can
hear yourself. Your colleagues in the wind section can probably hear you,
too, even in dense passages. Some conductors seem to be able to hear
EVERYTHING (and they may ask you to play the passage for the orchestra if
they suspect you are faking it). You may think "the audience can't hear
it." Well, they surely won't if you don't play it!

Your own personal standards are what will ultimately set you apart from
others. Professionalism is as much an attitude as it is an advanced set of
instrumental and musical skills. Taking shortcuts such as "faking" certain
passages will catch up with you in the long run. Keep your standards high -
it will pay off for you.

With all good wishes,
Stan Geidel
___________________
Dr. Stanley Geidel
Editor and Publisher
THE ONLINE CLARINET RESOURCE
www.ocr.sneezy.org

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lacy Schroeder" <LacyS@-----.org>
Subject: RE: [kl] "successful faking"

> You're right! You did come in on the middle of the conversation! :) Tony
> was talking about the F#-G# trill on a Boehm clarinet, and it brought up
> the concept of faking. Of course, I always work out the parts and play
> them as accurately as I can. It's just if there is a particular passage
> that even professionals have great dificulty whiffing out, faking is a
> good way to go, especially if the passage is just for effect and won't
> be heard anyway. And of course, I use fake fingerings all the time!
> Sometimes they play better in tune and are easier to sustain than the
> real ones!
>
> Lacy
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Stan Geidel [mailto:sgeidel@-----.net]
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2001 10:04 AM
> > To: klarinet@-----.org
> > Subject: [kl] "successful faking"
> >
> >
> > Perhaps I missed the beginning of this thread, so forgive me
> > if I appear
> > uninformed about what has previously transpired.
> >
> > Lacy states:
> > > Well, Tony, I had a coaching session last weekend with a clarinetist
> > > from the St. Louis Symphony (who is brilliant, by the way!), and she
> > > emphasized the usefulness of successful "faking." It's like
> > the fine art
> > > of b.s.sing in an English paper.
> >
> > I find this concept of "successful faking" rather
> > disturbing. First, if
> > you are "faking," then clearly you are not "successful" in
> > playing the part.
> > Second, and more importantly, it seems to me that if you set
> > out to "fake
> > it" convincingly, you would need to prepare. Why not put
> > that preparation
> > time into learning the actual part?
> >
> > Lacy, am I missing something here? Perhaps you are talking about very
> > specific items, such as playing an occasional harmonic in the
> > midst of an
> > extremely fast passage (e.g., overblowing "open G" to produce
> > high D), or a
> > trill fingering that is out of tune but acceptable under certain
> > circumstances? Again, please forgive me if I've missed the
> > beginning of
> > this discussion, but surely you are not talking about
> > anything more than
> > those examples I've given...
> >
> > Stan Geidel
> > ___________________
> > Dr. Stanley Geidel
> > Editor and Publisher
> > THE ONLINE CLARINET RESOURCE
> > www.ocr.sneezy.org
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
>
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>
>

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