 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: eilidh
Date: 2003-02-04 21:02
Just a moan really, I have been practising really hard for about three months and feel I have reached a total plateau phase, where I feel that despite all the practice I'm not getting any better and sometimes I even feel as if I'm getting worse, and then I think, what's the point, I would be as well giving up altogether, or just playing totally for fun and not bothering to practice or try to get any better. What is really annoying is that I have been trying to practice properly, doing long notes, scales studies and concentrating on difficult passages as opposed to just playing the nice bits that I can actually play, which is what I used to term "practice" along with practising mistakes until I had perfected them, if you see what I mean!!
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Author: Pam
Date: 2003-02-04 23:29
Dee is right. A teacher will help to guide you. Along with practicing "hard stuff" sometimes you need to "play" i.e. have fun like a kid. Play things you enjoy playing in addition to the things you are working on. When you are playing something easy, take the opportunity to work on expression, dynamics and playing from the heart to make it as beautiful as you can.
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Author: leonard a
Date: 2003-02-05 02:04
I agree about the teacher. Sometimes mine can find something I'm doing wrong or can fix a problem in one lesson that I would never have noticed on my own. It's not a linear progression. It's up and down, but as long as the curve is going up overall, that's the main thing. Kind of like the stock market, huh.
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Author: Cindy
Date: 2003-02-05 03:27
and, even with a teacher there are points where you feel like you hit a plateau. You have to remember that no matter if you are on flat ground, if you keep moving forward, if not up or down, eventually you will have to ht the mountain again.
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Author: Rick
Date: 2003-02-05 04:22
Hi:
Who says that the exclusive playing of scales and long notes is either entirely proper or the only way to practice? FWIW, I think that ultimately, playing an instrument is about making music, whether is it about playing a simple form of Amazing Grace, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or a perfectly executed Mozart or Weber, it is still music and that is good for the soul.
In athletics, it is known that you can easily overtrain or over train in a specific area that ultimately results in a drop of performance levels. Cross training is the rule today, so why not in music as well. Certainly spend time doing scales and long notes, but then play music...play something easy, something you enjoy, then attempt to play the difficult or seemingly impossible. With each note repeated you improve, perhaps not at a lightening fast pace, but you improve and all the while you manage to make music!
Best
RW
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Author: Vikki
Date: 2003-02-05 12:38
You know what they say, "practice makes perfect". However, they didn't tell you how long for! That is up to you as an individual. I have just started learning and I am hitting all sorts of issues that need sorting out but my love for the clarinet is making me move forward through good times and bad times.
Enjoy your already gained knowledge (wish I had some!) and enjoy learning new things.
Vikki
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Author: William
Date: 2003-02-05 14:59
Hmmm..........I've been practicing for 40 yrs (with and without teachers) and I'm now striving just to keep from slipping off that "plateau" that I reached.
Practice is a lifelong task for performing musicians. You eventually reach a level of proficiency, and then you practice to maintain it. Three years is just a good start--hang in there for the "long haul." (and enjoy the ride)
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Author: eilidh
Date: 2003-02-05 18:30
I have just changed my teacher and she is really good, she plays professionally, as did my former teacher. I feel I have already learned a lot from her although she is also trying to get me to change stuff that has always been wrong, ie tonguing and embouchure, but people are already saying I am making a much better sound and that I am playing much more confidently (she is a very dynamic performer herself) guess it's just the way I'm feeling, she seems pleased enough with the progress
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