Klarinet Archive - Posting 000138.txt from 2006/02
From: Curtis Bennett <curtis.bennett@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Practicing Scales
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 11:38:09 -0500
You're probably going to get a lot of responses in the affirmitive,
but I'll go out on a limb and say that it's the wrong approach to
practicing..
Now, the caveat is that I'm an amateur, and some of the professionals
on this list have probably forgotten more about playing the clarinet
than I know.
But consider this - I started playing clarinet as a sophomore in HS,
and practiced all the time. I found piano music, and bought music
books - anything I could get my hands on, really. I just played and
played and played. I went to band camp each summer after my 10th,
11th, and 12th grade years in high school. This was a camp of students
from all over the area, of more than a 1,000 kids, many of whom had
been playing for 6, 7 or more years. I went from last band, to second
band, to first band, 3rd chair in 3 years time. I only practiced
scales and arpeggios when I had to for competitions. I won the John
Philip Sousa award from my school (only one winner per year).
I did it by just playing - anything; all the time. I'm certain one
could get "good" by playing scales and arpeggios all the time. But,
it's hardly as fun.
I don't think I would have practiced nearly as much if I had found it
to be boring. So, take that for what it's worth.
On 2/10/06, Palmer, Padraic <padraic.palmer@-----.com> wrote:
> I've decided to go back to playing the clarinet after years of
> neglect.I've decided this time round to start from scratch and learn all
> the major,minor,arpeggio's and chromatics.I've been told to do and like
> many woodwind players,really don't want to be practicing scales.Can
> anyone tell me please,what is the big deal about learning scales,I know
> this may be an obvious question to some but I just don't get why they
> are so important!
>
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--
Curtis Bennett
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