 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2012-12-09 14:07
Thanks to those people who replied to my post re. things that go wrong mechanically in an exam/festival situation. Now, what about things that go wrong physiologically? The two I have experienced are
- dry mouth, dry reed, so that notes did not speak. (I know this is down to nerves, but that is another issue). I have been told that drinking plenty of water does NOT help keep the mouth lubricated.
- the opposite problem; too much wet building on the reed and in the mouth so that funny bubbly noise appears. I can suck it up if I have the opportunity, but often you have just to keep on going...
And any other little problems (sweaty fingers so they slide off the keys...?)
Very grateful in advance to those Bboarders who can share their expertise and experience....
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Author: ruben
Date: 2012-12-09 19:24
Hi there! Just a couple of tips. Bite the tip of your toungue lightly and this will make you salivate and alleviate your dryness of mouth. Use a spray deodorant on your hands and this will prevent them from getting sweaty. Last of all, don't be afraid of being afraid. If you're afraid, look upon this as being perfectly normal and and healthy sensation that will enhance your concentration, give you a sense of event and make you play better. The day of the concert or audition, play through your piece(s) very, very slowly; at a hearfelt adagio tempo. Focus on the sensation of your fingers comfortably covering the keys and rings; a nice, comfortable fit. Good luck and I'm sure everything will go fine!
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: MichelleAnderson
Date: 2012-12-10 05:44
Hi Maruja,
Some other tricks that have worked for me...Often we cannot control the physical reactions that our body undergoes when we feel the stress of that exam/performance/audition. What we can do, is try and accustom our body and brain to playing well when those distracting things are going on. For example, often our heart rate goes up, which affects how much air we have available. You can simulate the shortage of breath and sweaty hands by jogging on the spot, or doing some brief vigorous exercises in the practise room until you are out of breath and hot. Then, pick up your clarinet, and play your piece. You may feel like a fool jumping up and down, and then picking up your instrument, but if you do it regularly for a week (or longer), your body learns how to adapt to those physical symptoms. Often what throws us off in performance is that they do feel like a new, unexpected factor. It has made a huge difference to me.
A bassoon-playing friend told me that eating a banana shortly before a stressful performance helps regulate the saliva. She had no reasonable explanation for why this should work, but swore that it solved the problem for her. It might be worth trying...
Good luck!
Michelle Anderson - www.clarinetmentors.com
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Author: ruben
Date: 2012-12-10 08:48
Jumping up and down to get your heartbeat to speed up and then practising is an excellent method! I've tried it. When this happens to you because of performance anxiety, you are then no longer thrown off as you know what it is like to play with that senasation.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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