 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sue G
Date: 2005-02-06 14:23
Hi,
I'm an inexperienced mature player - self taught - not the best I know but all I can do at present.
I've been playing for 2 years now and am fairly happy with my progress - played recently to a friend who is a musician (not professional and not clarinetist) and she rightly pointed out that my playing isn't very smooth - is this just about practice ????
Appreciate any views / advice.
Thanks
Sue
:)
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Author: Bill
Date: 2005-02-06 16:20
Not sure what she means by "smooth"?
I'm also self-taught and am now (at 45) taking lessons for the first time. My teacher has pointed out that "it's not a series of notes [insert petulant tone here], but a phrase." I think that I play like crap around him (in his presence) because I am trying to do a million things at once - follow his (latest) direction, follow the meter, follow the dynamic markings, and ... always the criticism ... play with a stronger air stream and more "tone color." It's misery - I have never done anything "nice" in his presence, and with each lesson his interest in me fades just a bit more. It's an unhappy marriage.
Sooooo ... maybe it's a public performance issue - you tie your bundles of notes together with a perfectly lovely touch when you are playing alone, but in a musician's presence ... you crumble. I'm with you honey!
Bill.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-02-06 16:22
Hi Sue --
Not sure what you mean by "not smooth" -- maybe you could give us more specifics?
Just to hazard a guess, though, I'm wondering if your listener might have been referring to a certain lack of legato in your phrasing. This is a pretty common trait among less-experienced wind players. It happens because you are thinking of each tone as separate. You begin a tone, and all is well, but then you have to move to the next tone, and as you do so, you slack off on the breath and support, and then redouble it as you start the next tone. This leads to a very uneven-sounding line.
The trick is to play *through* the changes -- don't let your breath or support sag as you change from tone to tone. This is true even when the following note is tongued -- I might say, *especially* when the following note is tongued. Don't think of a line as being composed of separate notes. Think of it as all one sustained tone, articulated (or not) by the tongue as the score demands. Practice on long, sustained scale patterns.
Susan
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Author: Sue G
Date: 2005-02-06 19:23
Hi folks,
Thanks for your replies - I guess it's a mixture - Bill is quite right about the "performance" bit - I've played in front of people before but not folks who are very musical and certainly not ones standing behind me following the music I'm playing ! She was only trying to be helpful I know and I guess the more I get used to other people listening the better I'll control my nerves.
By not being smooth I suppose I mean that I play the notes too individually - "staccato like".
I think the main reason is probably just inexperience - my fingers just don't work quickly enough !
Part of my problem is also that I've little feeling in my left thumb ( and left index finger too come to that ) and so I can't feel the register key too well - I think I'm perhaps busy concentrating on that a little too much at times.
I'll try spending more time on scale patterns as you suggest Susan and see if that improves things.
Thanks again
Sue
PS - I've already passed the half century Bill !
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Author: Dano
Date: 2005-02-06 20:28
Sounds like playing one long note from very soft to very loud and then back to very soft and playing the next note the same and so on would benifit you. Concentrate on tone control and fingering. That is what "You are not playing smoothly" may mean when you refer to a 2 year student. Actually, I am not a teacher and haven't had lessons in about 25 years so I can only guess since I can't hear you, so take that with a grain of salt. Hope that helps.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-02-06 21:56
Never play the note you are playing.
That is, always be thinking about the next note coming up. Think of how it is fingered, where it is on the clarinet, and what it means musically. Eventually, try to do this with groups of notes.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-02-07 01:01
Try this book - it's really great for learning to play evenly when you master your scales. Try for a while not tonguing and playing everything very legato - add the tongue after you have your playing more smoothly worked out. Players not sure of the notes will often play chopy due to them having to think out each and every note. Kind of like constant "brain pauses"
http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/a/product.html?id=14420&sku=MB.98690&
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Author: Keith Ferguson
Date: 2005-02-07 01:18
Sue, I think the responses your question is receiving are pointing you in the right direction. The way I would express my approach is that I can only play a difficult passage smoothly after I've drummed it into my brain and fingers by countless repetitions at ever increasing tempos to the point where I don't really have to think about the notes. My instructor suggested a technique that works for me - practice that difficult passage from back to front and in small pieces - it helps you focus on the notes.
Bill - as a middle-aged "born again" clarinetist, I laughed (with understanding) at your description of your experience in lessons. I'm in there too.
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Author: MGarrison
Date: 2005-02-07 02:26
Hi Sue G
It's really worth shelling out for 1 or 2 lessons at this stage just to make sure you are on the right track.
If you are practicing an incorrect technique you won't be getting any better, and you are going to find that it will be a harder habit to break later. A couple of lessons might show you what you need to work on for the new little while until you are able to take lessons on a regular basis.
If the cost of lessons is a problem, try contacting your local high school to see if they have a more advanced student who would be willing to teach you for a bit of pocket money.
Trust me, you'll be glad you did this in the end.
Regards,
Marina
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Author: hartt
Date: 2005-02-07 02:47
if you can, purchase Keith Stein's book THE ART OF CLARINET PLAYING. It shoudl be readily available at local music stores and sometimes a copy is on eBAY.
In Leon Russianoff's CLARINET METHOD bk 1, (unavailable) there are 'lessons' that cover your ailment.
Both the aforementioned books address EVENESS OF NOTES.
COUNT< COUNT< COUNT....and do it slowwwwww.
1234, 1234, 1234 ....
1 &a, 2 &a, 1 &a ....
Count ALOUD FIRST, then play slowlyyy while mentally counting. Don't be self conscious....count ALOUD before playing.
Above all.......remain FOCUSED. Feel the finger rise / lower......and on the EXACT count.
This is ALL LEGATO playing WITH A METRONOME. Simple scales and 3rds.
You are looking to gain eveness, not speed. Speed will come later
good luck
regards
dennis
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Author: Sue G
Date: 2005-02-10 19:04
Hi folks,
Thanks for all your advice.
I just bought myself the "Scales and Arpeggios for clarinet" book and am going to spend time working on scales - much more than I have done so far - I haven't really invested enough time on the basics I suspect.
Will let you know in a few weeks of my progress !
Thanks again
Sue
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