 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wjk
Date: 2002-05-29 20:37
Would anyone care to comment on how our "mental state" affects our playing? Does a Zen-like state of "going with the flow" encourage a wonderful tone and effortless fluid fingerwork? How does the "malady of the quotidian" (poet Wallace Stevens' term) affect our creativity and performances?
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-05-30 00:15
Look for "The Inner Game of Music" by Barry Green and Timothy Gallway at your bookstore or library.
Ken
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Author: William
Date: 2002-05-30 01:32
"Does a Zen-like state of "going with the flow" encourage a wonderful tone and effortless fluid fingerwork?"
I would rather rely on a regular practice schedule to solve technical and tonal concerns. However, I am always more musical and expressive in my playing when in an "up" mood. Confidence has never been my "short suit." Good Clarineting!!!! (if Zen helps--DO IT!!)
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-05-30 05:00
You've hit an interesting topic here - if you're happy you'll play so ...
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Author: gemmaelizabeth
Date: 2002-05-30 11:17
exactly... i feel there is no point in practising when in a bad mood or angry as you will just resent it therefore you aren't concentrating as hard and won't acheive anything so you might as well leave it until you are in a better mood.. I don't really think yoga and reading mad books is going to do the trick! Send you to sleep maybe, but i agree with William that practise is what will make your fingers more fluid, not being completely stoned!
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2002-05-30 13:52
Of course, practice will help you obtain the technical abilities you need, but one's mental state can definitely affect one's performance. Just ask anyone who can play something perfectly in practice, but then gets so nervous in front of an audience or auditioner that he or she starts making mistakes. When you are able to relax, focus and let your subconscious mind take over, your playing is likely to be smoother and more flawless.
This holds true in most areas, not just in music. Case in point: A few months ago, my wife joined a table tennis club after many years of not playing. She would always come home frustrated from never winning any games. She then read Dale Carnegie's <i>The Power of Positive Thinking</i> and took his advise about meditating and telling herself that she was a good player. The next time she played, she beat most of the others at the club and has been doing so ever since.
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Author: gemmaelizabeth
Date: 2002-05-30 14:04
Its all in the mind though really isn't it? Nerves and what not. YOU make yourself nervous....etc.....
I think your wife was just nervous about playing when she hadn't played for such a long time. I think she has always been good. The fact that she read some book on how to meditate maybe helps some people control their nerves and bring out their true potential. I think for those of us that that does not work for ( like myself, I have tried EVERYTHING to control my nerves - apart from hypnotisim cause I don't fancy that) I think practice till perfect or at least until your fingers can do it without your mind is the way to go, and to do that, you have to be ready to practise.
I have tried so many times to set certain hours of the day to practise. You know 11am -12, then maybe 2pm- 3pm, then again at 5pm-6pm, and to be quite honest it never goes to plan, due to whatever mental state I may be in. I might have had a bad lesson at 1pm, and don't want to practise at 2. I find leaving it to when you feel ready to practise is the best way. you can do more constructive practise in one hour where you are really 'up' for it, than 3 hours when you are in a foulmood and i don't really need a book to tell me that....
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2002-05-30 14:14
actually, sometimes when I am the most ticked off, I play the best (as long as I'm not ticked about my playing). I think because I focus all of that into my playing and I really concentrate. Sometimes when I am happy I can't play because I can't concentrate on anything but what is making me happy (unless that's my playing and then of course it's great!). I'm a little weird I guess! 
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Author: Meri
Date: 2002-05-30 22:37
I find I practice best when I'm a little bit tired. I'm pretty flexible about practice times (I don't stick to a regular practice time but manage to practice about 5 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour)--it depends on whether or not anyone else is home. This is about as long as I can fully focus at one time. If I can't practice at home for any reason and want to do it, I just go down to the music faculty and use the practice rooms there. I find that most days I can instantly focus on practicing, this is done by limiting how much I work on and learning to the point where I know it without thinking about it. I also use several practicing strategies, and do a lot of practicing away from the instrument, such as sorting out difficult rhythms or looking for scale or arpeggio patterns in the music.
Three books:
Zen and the Art of Archery/Eugen Herrigel--many of the ideas can be applied to music
Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within/ Kenny Werner--really emphasizes the point of learning until you can do it without thinking
Practicing for Young Musicians: You are your own teacher!/ Harvey Snitkin--provides ways of motivating yourself to practice.
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Author: RA
Date: 2002-06-01 02:34
Ever since I have been self taught for almost a year, practicing has been a huge issue with me. Because my clarinet teacher was so..dediicated and helped me advance in my studies so well...the advice that I long to hear is not there. However, at times I do email her and feel much better and return to practicing. When I am sick, I am particulary bummed about not being able to study scales which I am trying to memorize at the moment. But, I feel that if we are in a mental state that is negative then we will play that way adn actually that's when I practice unwillingly for half an hour. I will practice jazz because I feel at that particular time it helps me to release my anger. If I am simply not in the mood, I put Kate down after five minutes. But, when I am in a very particular good mood, I like to practice new pieces even if I am not familiar with them and after all of this clarinet talk I think I am off to email Lisa Molinaro whom I studied with for three and a half years and was very influential in my life and have developed an relatinship with.
RA
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Author: David Dow
Date: 2002-06-03 11:24
In orchestra I tend to find that a very relaxed state of mind most beneficial especially before the concert! Many players don't realize it but a life time of playing is going to take its toll on the body like any difficult labor oriented type of work. Specific problems clarinet players deal with are back problems and problems with hands from repetition. Alexander technique will prove most beneficial and also an open mind set to new and different states of mind...also being able to see when injuries are coming from overuse of the muscles is important...musicians are sometimes the worst when it comes to being their own enemies because of the egotisical side and also the overzealous side in themselves. I really think a balanced way of looking at things most important....great music making only begins when we are totally relaxed and able to concentrate with the whole self!
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