Klarinet Archive - Posting 000340.txt from 2003/03

From: Oliver Seely <oseely@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] The amateur's dilemma
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2003 16:59:17 -0500

I certainly agree with George and Diane. I would add only that now having
computer synthesized music at my fingertips is the next best thing to live
players. Eight years ago when I started playing along with my computer I
was ecstatic over being able to play with accompaniment anything I'd take
the time to sequence. Nowadays it is less and less special as more people
discover how great it is.

I'm working up a clarinet, viola, piano trio for some future event, but
last week our pianist had to cancel out on us. No problem. I invited the
violist over to my house and we had a productive rehearsal session. It was
not a decent substitute for having three live players, to be sure, even
though the computer plays better than the live pianist. Today is the final
rehearsal for a little performance next week called "computers after
hours". I had planned it to be for three clarinets and computer
accompaniment, but one of us never shows up for rehearsals and the other
one is a local campus politician. His attendance today is chancey at
best. No problem. I just won't mute their tracks. It may end up, as it
so often does, as "Ollie and selected members of his Sili(con) Symphony,"
as the photo shows at the link
http://www.csudh.edu/oliver/graphics/yosemite.jpg

8-)

Oliver

Oliver

At 02:43 PM 3/6/03 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi,
>
>I may have missed the original thread, but I agree
>with Diane's words. Playing music as an ensemble,
>IMHO, is better than playing music alone. For those
>who are not professional musicians, community bands or
>orchestras for that matter, offer a venue for musical
>enrichment. If you are fortunate to play with a group
>of talented musicians and hopefully "good" people to
>work with, it is even better. If you have a mix of
>good and not so good musicians, it'll be a bit of
>struggle in patience, but still I would say it is
>better than being a singular musician.
>
>Taking lessons, in my opinion, gives you more insight
>and progress towards being a better musician at your
>instrument than attending band rehearsals. You get
>more one on one with a teacher where a band director
>just doesn't have the time to do it. Also, not all
>band directors are knowledgeable and have the
>experience on the clarinet as a fine teacher would.
>Plus, not all the band literature music is challenging
>and motivating for you to progress. I'm taking
>lessons now, and can say from my experience, it has
>been worthwhile.
>
>George Lin
>Bb Clarinet - Kings Park Concert Band: Springield,VA
>Bass Clarinet - Alexandria Citizens Band: Alexandria,
>VA

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