Klarinet Archive - Posting 000083.txt from 2005/04

From: "Jools Wingate" <detourintothemacabre@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Slow or weak fingers = slow brain, or...?
Date: Wed, 06 Apr 2005 04:34:22 -0400

Hi Audrey,

One thing i find really useful with difficult fingerings is to swing them
really slowly - then reverse the swing -
daa da daa da (do that until it is secure...)
then reverse
da daa da daa
the short bit of the swing shows you where the probs are.

jools

and make sure your clarinet is in good working order before you start...

>From: Roger Shilcock
<roger.shilcock@-----.uk>
>Reply-To: klarinet@-----.org
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: Re: [kl] Slow or weak fingers = slow brain, or...?
>Date: Wed, 6 Apr 2005 08:54:46 +0100 (BST)
>
>Re your 3) & 6) - something which gets ignored too often:
>Are you *quite* sure all your joints are tight??
>Roger S.
>
>In message <DEB0ED6A-A639-11D9-A1C4-000D933DB09C@-----.ca>
>klarinet@-----.org
>writes:
> > I am an adult amateur, started at age 50 eight years ago, trying to
> > play music too difficult and fast (for me) without the proper time to
> > train my brain and fingers as I should have (and I'm not sure what that
> > training would be). I thoroughly understand basic music, counting,
> > articulation, dynamics, etc., but am unable to make my fingers or
> > brain move fast enough. I've identified the problems as:
> >
> > 1) both hands - fingers don't move quickly or smoothly, especially 4th
> > finger and pinkie of each hand - scale and non scale passages. I
> > suspect finger strength issues.
> >
> > 2) my hands are quite small - fingers don't always reach outer pinkie
> > keys on left, especially; don't always cover holes completely
> >
> > 3) reed squeaking a lot
> >
> > 4) finger/brain speed problem - can't seem to play fast - don't know
> > how to learn to do so
> >
> > 5) find certain fingering patterns or combinations very difficult -
> > it's as if my brain can't learn them and send correct message to the
> > fingers.
> >
> > 6) clarinet feels very insecure as if it's going to move too much as I
> > change fingerings - I do play sitting, with bell on my knees, but still
> > find myself hanging onto clarinet for dear life - this is one reason
> > fingers don't move fast, but how to solve problem?
> >
> > These are real beginner issues that were not adequately dealt with as I
> > developed. All of the fault is mine as I desperately wanted to play
> > serious music before I was ready. But now I realize I must address
> > these very frustrating problems before I can progress. Does anyone
> > have some detailed, concrete suggestions on any or all of these issues?
> > How do I make my fingers stronger, especially those farthest from my
> > thumb? How do I train my brain to send correct messages to my fingers
> > and hands?
> >
> > Any help will be welcome. Yes, I have a teacher already.
> >
> > Many thanks
> >
> > Audrey
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
> >
> >
>
>--
>....compared with it at its best, English has reached the
> Alexandrian stage of formalism and decay.
>----- Raymond Chandler ("Notes on English and American style")
>
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>Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>

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