 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: claclaws
Date: 2004-05-27 00:33
As I read the thread on motivation/procrastination, etc., I wonder whether a better atmosphere or ambiance in which you practice clarinet may play a role in it.
Many of music majors in the BB seem to have mentioned things like 'stuck in a practice room' and so forth. As a matter of fact, my teacher also told me that in his college days he practiced the (Korean) national anthem over and over and over (with three other friends in his band) in a cube-like practice room with no window, until the score was all memorized and tunes were perfectly harmonized...It sounded amazing, but I can't envy that.
As an easy-going amateur, I have the luxury of using my living room as my practice place, looking at my 'garden'(=some 30 pots of flowers and trees lined up in the apartment veranda), and at the same time fully enjoying what music I make with the instrument. I also enjoyed tremendously practising at my mom's countryside loghouse, again looking outside scenery.
Do I sound too naive, helplessly amatuerish?
Lucy Lee Jang
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-05-27 01:11
Nah. I'm an amateur too, but I say practice wherever you feel comfortable. I too practice in my living room sometimes. Sometimes I practice in my room in front of the TV. I don't watch the TV, I just appreciate the background noise. Sometimes I stick myself in a practice room at school. The no windows, one door, padded wall (soundproofing). Sometimes it's an empty classroom. And this summer I intend to do a fair amount of practice outside where I can smell the fresh air. On my front steps or backyard.
The main thing is that you break out the clarinet and practice. Not WHERE, but just that you DO.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-05-27 02:11
Some practice rooms I got "stuck" in were great. Some were wretched. And I didn't even attend Indiana University, although my warm-up for my grad audition was held in the most miserable spaces ever.
The windowed rooms with lots of room to stretch out were always the best.
Katrina
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Author: mkybrain
Date: 2004-05-27 05:19
i remember reading in the Klose book about hopw practicing where there are no distractions and disturbances is best, so ull be more focused on ur playing, i.e. u get a lot more done in less time, and there are prolly other problems with practicing when there are other thigns that can distract u
my best bet is that practing in a place of little noise and nothing to deviate ur attention is best
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Author: jo.clarinet
Date: 2004-05-27 05:50
I usually practice in my little music/teaching room at home - cluttered with boxes of music, instruments etc. Practising the clarinet is in no way a problem for me - I really look forward to playing my clarinet each day and become fretful when I can't for some reason (to the complete bemusement of my non-instrumentalist husband!).
But I do think an occasional change of venue can be beneficial - when I go on one of my yearly recorder courses I have the opportunity during that week to practise the clarinet every day in the theatre foyer there - and the first time I tried it I thought - good grief, is this really me playing?! - because due to the size and the acoustics of the area the sound was fantastic compared with how it usually seems at home! It's a real lift for the spirits and is now, for me, an added attraction of going on that particular course!
Joanna Brown
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-05-27 06:43
mky said
i remember reading in the Klose book about hopw practicing where there are no distractions and disturbances
interesting concept ... as some performance situations (especially opera and theatre) are FULL of distractions.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-05-27 14:46
The third bedroom of our home is dedicated to my musical intstruments, music and practice sessions. However, I am not so motivated be the environmental ambiance as I am with the necessity inspired by an upcoming gig for which I must be prepared to play. Wheither it be for flute, saxophone or clarinet, I am absolutely obsessed to always be in top-playing form and that is all the inspiration I need to practice. Not a great view, happy wall paper, absolute quite throughtout my home (impossible anyhow with a wife who is obsessed with running the vacume cleaner), perfect temperature....nothing, except necessity. Some of the stranger environments in which I have practiced include hotel rooms, barns, our family car, in our camper at a public campground with our "neighbor" running a chainsaw, in my in-laws living room, an open hay field and a curling clubroom, just to name a few. The most important component of practice is mental focus, "quality" effort, and--for me--NEED!
I know this is a different "slant" on your posting, but I hope "food for thought".
Incidently, my most recent "crisis" is in learning that our orchestra will be performing "Rhapsody in Blue" for our July 4th concert series and that our principal clarinetist cannot do the opening "smear". And when our conductor asked if I could do it, I--the "jazzer" and risk-taker that I also am--said, "Yes". As Oliver Hardy would probably say to Stanley, "That's a fine mess (I've) gotten my self into". Got to go practice now............
Post Edited (2004-05-27 14:56)
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Author: mkybrain
Date: 2004-05-27 16:59
well diz, i practice w/o distractions, and when performing, distractions don't affect me
i remember during one audition, the guy listening to me actually got up whule i was playing and stood right behind me, then went and sat back down, i didn't affect my playing at all
i guess if ur the type of person who is easily distracted, then u should practice w/ distractions, but u won't get as much done
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Author: larryb
Date: 2004-05-27 18:19
my best practicing happens when listening to baseball (Mets) low on the radio - something about the pace of a baseball game that lends itself well to playing scales, etudes, etc.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-05-28 11:50
...or sleep.
*******
Since the bulk of most player's time is spent practicing alone, why should it be dull or a drudge?
I reclaimed the nice upstairs space with hardwood floors and a lovely sound
after dreading the damped, echoless basement with a suspended ceiling.
It should sound good to you when you practice, without covering faults.
Just don't practice with a horserace on the radio, it will wreak havoc on your meter...
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-05-28 21:07
William,
I wasn't _actually_ complaining about the practice rooms at IU...
I was just suggesting that practicing is _easier_ in a more comfortable environment. You practice when and where you must.
Work happens whether you're in a nice room or not, but if you've got the ability to make your work space attractive, comfortable, purple, or whatever, you should....because being happy is a good thing. Not a necessary thing, but a good thing. (No I'm not Martha Stewart...)
Katrina
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Author: claclaws
Date: 2004-05-29 01:40
Can't agree more, Katrina. (I'm not Martha Stewart, either)
Lucy Lee Jang
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Author: Rachel
Date: 2004-06-01 02:05
I like the practice rooms here. You can look out of the window (at the train station, but it's better than no view at all). However, the acoustics in them suck, so I do all my practice at home.
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Author: chipper
Date: 2004-06-02 14:39
Sometimes the people I live with have had about enough of this practice stuff and I then take it on the road. I have a clip on the dashboard (passenger side) and find a park, lakefront, etc. I also own a sailboat and since it has been launched this summer I've had several lovely practice sessions both above and below decks. The local YMCA has kept the old gym open after the opening of the new one. Since no one goes to the old gym anymore I've started using it as a practice room. it is isolated and there are music stands for reading while exercising, so I use them. The acoustics are excellent and I get a very rich, full sound. I also sit on the deck and play, much to the chagrin of the crass neighbor who started to mock my playing untill I broke into a couple of bars of "Smoke On the Water"
PS I hate the practice room at the local music store where I take lessons. The walls are paper and the other rooms filled with rock guitar students playing at various levels of disfunction. But the teacher says I need to learn to play in spite of distraction.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2004-06-02 14:45
I head to the great outdoors periodically and just play in the bush or the paddocks. It is amazing how many birds and other animals you can attract.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-06-02 14:56
Mark Pinner wrote:
> I head to the great outdoors periodically and just play in the
> bush or the paddocks. It is amazing how many birds and other
> animals you can attract.
I can just picture it. Like a scene from a Disney movie. Mark playing his clarinet, birds landing on his shoulder whistling along in harmony, squirrels sitting down on the nearest rock sharing an acorn . . .
US Army Japan Band
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-06-02 19:58
The hills are alive... with the sound of muuuuuusiiiiiic
There is a real benefit to practicing in an acoustically unfriendly environment once in a while. Forces you to listen critically without the euphonic effects of a nice sounding room. You also have to play in a good room from time to time so you can learn how to manage the air volume of the space, excite attractive resonances, and generally get the room/hall to speak for you. Either way, a nice view certainly never hurt.
Zippedeedoodah...
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Author: Pam H.
Date: 2004-06-03 02:53
I understand having some distractions during practice can be a good thing. It can help you to not be SO distracted when things happen in a performance.
For me, once I get going on practicing I enjoy it and hate to quit. The room I practice the woodwinds in is often cluttered because I'd rather practice than clean it. ;-)
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