 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2003-12-04 19:13
Something that I've never seen in an exercise, but comes up often in band parts, is playing on the offbeat. For example, in 4/4 time, quaver rest on each beat, quaver note on each offbeat: "rest-note-rest-note-rest-note-rest-note".
I find this astonishingly difficult to do.
No problem playing the same notes at the same speed on the beat: "note-rest-note-rest-note-rest-note-rest".
No problem playing twice as many notes: note-note-note-note-note-note-note-note".
No problem understanding the rhythm or hearing it in my head. No problem tapping the table on the offbeats while my metronome plays the beats. The problem is actually playing it on the clarinet, either in band or when practicing on my own. The harder I try to think "REST-note-REST-note-REST-note-REST-note", the more I find I'm making horrible guttural grunts in my throat on each rest.
Am I alone in struggling with this? Hot tips to practice it? Please, no suggestions that I won't make it as a professional if I can't do this, or I should just practice it eighteen hours a day for the next five years. I'm just a poor struggling third clarinet baffled why he's stuck on something that ought to be simple.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-12-04 19:16
David Peacham wrote:
> Something that I've never seen in an exercise, but comes up
> often in band parts, is playing on the offbeat. For example, in
> 4/4 time, quaver rest on each beat, quaver note on each
> offbeat: "rest-note-rest-note-rest-note-rest-note".
For fun play along with some simple reggae tunes. It's easier to get it into your head that way (at least it was for me).
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2003-12-04 19:42
Reggae could just do it, you know? How about something more dreary like tapping your toe to the beat and then saying out loud "and" for the off beat - so 1(tap) "and" 2 (tap) "and" 3 (tap) etc. Once you get bored of this, then tap with your foot and play a note instead of saying "and".
Just try this with 16th notes in an ensemble - the thirds are playing on the 8th note and the seconds follow with a 16th note - oh, help!! This is in swing music. I think we have to forget about the technicality of doing it and just groove to the music, it'll come all by itself.
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-12-04 20:18
As a clarinetist and violist, it's never been a problem because a lot of viola work in many uninspired scores are off beat rhythmic accompaniments (with the 2nd fiddles) - one learns quickly, having said that - it's actually easier with a bow than on a wind instrument because the bow just springs (spiccato) almost by itself (not). I think part of the trick might just be not thinking about what you're doing too hard and just letting it happen.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-12-04 20:21
Go get a decent Vindaloo, that will put you in the mood, too.
The Sanskrit Raga has much the same propulsive rhythm.
If it helps, think of a motorcar with one wheel slightly out of round.
The flat spot is the emphatic beat.
You start the car on '1', the wheel thumps on '2'.
*******
I use the 'bouncing knee' method for keeping track.
My heel comes down on '1', my knee bounces up on '2'.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-12-04 20:48
I [too?] like the heel-toe "rocking" appraoch, some classical pieces, the ---- Rhaposdy has an off-beat melody, as other pieces do which, for me, plays better on the beat, correcting later! Count X 3. Don
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Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2003-12-04 22:41
Try thinking more macroscopically. If you are thinking One-And, Two-And, Three-And, Four-And, you'll probably get hung up by the second beat or so, because while you're thinking "and," the next beat has already happened.
Instead try thinking of the measure in two. That is, ONE-and-two-and, THREE-and-four-and, ONE-and-two-and, THREE-and-four-and. Don't even think of time for the other 3 eighths of each measure. You know where it needs to be, you just trick yourself into thinking otherwise when you begin to focus on the ANDs instead of the dowbeats. If you just think of the ONE going to the THREE, you should be much better in time.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Rachel
Date: 2003-12-05 00:37
Oh, dear- you have no hope of being a professional musician now. Statistics show that all professional clarinettists specialised in playing on the offbeats right from their first week of playing.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-12-05 15:05
Just realized that it must be the clarinet.....and that the Concerto will correct the problem.
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2003-12-05 15:34
You've guessed my secret, BobD. I read somewhere that the Chinese have brought out a new model that's brilliant for offbeats, but the shop was out of stock on those so I bought the Concerto as the next best thing.
Keep it to yourself, won't you?
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Reply To Message
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