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learning to play..

Author: band_geek1991
Date: 2005-01-29 21:49

I was wondering if anyone knew of an online clarinet tutor,i just started playing,and im not making any progress because im a year behind everyone else in my grade,i can play but i have trouble reading music.can anyone help?

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Re: learning to play..

Author: MGarrison
Date: 2005-02-01 01:47

Hi BandGeek
I notice nobody has responded to you. I don't think you need an online tutor, it is very difficult to give anything other than generic advice without hearing someone play.

Reading music is difficult for some people. But with practice (lot of it) you will get better and better.

For me reading treble clef music comes easy (I've been doing it since I was about 6 years old - in my 30's now) but I find it really hard to read bass clef music (for my BC and piano). I notice that when I practice every day I get better and better, but when I take a break and get lazy for a few days, it gets hard to read it again.

One tip you might want to try is reading music without actually playing. You can do this whilst holding your clarinet (sometimes I just hold a ruler/pencil when I don't have my clarinet with me) and just make the necessary finger movements. I find it helps me master the reading/fingering part quicker because I am not concentrating on other things, like how I actually sound.

Good luck,

Marina

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Re: learning to play..

Author: ron b
Date: 2005-02-01 04:55

Also just noticed your post, Band Geek --

It would help if we knew a little more about you. Not personal things. Never give personal information to anyone you don't know. I mean things like:

Do you play in a group? Is there a teacher/director? What kind of instruction have you had so far? Do you use a method book? What kind of practicing do you do?

As Marina says, without hearing/observing you play it's very hard to give suggestions. And, Marina's advice about reading is good for all of us to remember, the only way to improve reading sheet music is just to keep doing it.

Everyone here started right where you are, Geek. We didn't know anything and it seemed like we'd never get it. Gradually, step by step, it got a little easier and... we like to believe, a little better.

Best wishes to you, too, B.G.

- r [cool]

n b -

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Re: learning to play..

Author: Corvuscorona
Date: 2005-02-01 10:51

I don't know of any online tutor but I can recommend two softwares I have been using for myself (I am 40 and back to clarinet after a 25y break) and my 12 yo son, who plays flute inschool band).

Music Ace is a wonderful little software to learn by yourself all the basics of music theory, reading music, rythm. It even helped me a lot although I do have a good background in music. It is fun yet quite challenging.

For help with your instrument I do recommend Smart Music; it is like a tutor, a robot teacher almost. It incorporates thousends of exercises, beginner band books, and many scores of accompaniements for the more advanced student. It teaches you the fingering, how to play in tune, on time, and it is so much fun! With it, my son practices one hour a day instead of the mandatory 20 mn required by his school.

Smart Music can be found at www.smartmusic.com and a demo comes with some band books. Music Ace can be bought in several online software shop. You can try the free demo at www.harmonicvision.com

hope this helps, Dominique

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