Klarinet Archive - Posting 000262.txt from 2003/07

From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay.home@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] summer practicing, truth and the philosophy of music
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2003 07:30:22 -0400

Kimber posted:

<<<I have a question about summer practicing...anyways, school's been out
for a while, and I've noticed that while I practice everyday, I seem to be
getting worse rather than better...it's really bugging me.>>>

This is what the teachers call an "aha" moment. Kimber, there's another
boring academic thread on the list right now that I'd bet describes what's
going on here.

You're spending a fair amount of time actually practicing - not rehearing
with a pile of other people, but working on your own technique. My bet is
that you're not regressing at all, but identifying pre-existing problems.
Merely focusing on technique makes one realize the shortcomings that were
there all along.

You realization is evidence that you have how you want to sound in your
head; this is good news indeed. Solution - more practice, of course. With
metronome. Go slower.

Two additional points:

1) Do you have a teacher? They can help - this would be a great time to
discuss plateaus and all that.

2) Frustration is not limited to students. Just about everybody gets
frustrated form time to time - just read Tony Pay's post re battling with
the Weber quintet, for example.

kjf

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