 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Laur
Date: 2000-03-19 00:04
What's the deal on foot tapping ? I mean not for the new york orch. but for just students - I'm a Sophomore in HS - and my private teacher says to tap my foot, and i sound soo much better when I do, but my director tells me not to tap my foot .. Everyone I talk to has mixed opinions - help ?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-03-19 00:18
Laur wrote:
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What's the deal on foot tapping ? I mean not for the new york orch. but for just students - I'm a Sophomore in HS - and my private teacher says to tap my foot, and i sound soo much better when I do, but my director tells me not to tap my foot .. Everyone I talk to has mixed opinions - help ?
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Many people tap their foot rather hard and if the entire band is doing it, then the audience can hear it. Besides in band, you have the conductor marking the beat and you have the percussion (hopefully) to keep you on the beat.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-03-19 01:14
One of the most irritating things I've seen in (mostly) HS bands & orchestras is tapping feet - and the tapping's not synchronized. It's distracting to the audience.
Now, at home, alone, it's a very different story.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-03-19 02:43
I would suggest getting out of that habit, since, IMHO the farther one goes in playing music which is NOT at a steady tempo where one must closely watch the conductor, the player will have the conflict as which tempo to follow and may make serious mistakes, certainly infuriating the conductor. Particularly at fast tempos, I found that foot tapping caused me to be behind the beat [or off-beat] and in big trouble. Follow the conductor!! Don
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Author: Kim
Date: 2000-03-19 03:27
I sometimes tap my foot and sometimes don't. I sometimes benefit from just watching my director. Other times, when playing slow passages, it is easier to tap my foot.
I think that your band director might not want you tapping your foot because it can be a nuisance to the other band members. When foot tapping is loud, it is very annoying. I'm not saying yours is, but that might be the reason. People all the way across the band room can hear it, and is quite funny. If you've heard loud foot tappers, I'm sure you know what I mean.
I think that tapping your foot is a judgment call. However, if you move your toe up and down, instead of your whole foot, he might not notice, and you can continue to tap your foot! Your band director is wrong to tell you not to tap your foot because by tapping, you are on the beat more consistently than other musicians in your band.
Good luck!
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Author: Dave Goss
Date: 2000-03-19 12:44
Kim, I understand that tapping may seem to help sometimes, but as the music becomes more difficult, tempo changes, times changes, etc. it can cause major conflicts between the players. About two years ago I would've said the same thing. Before that I often tapped my foot. Now I'm a music major practicing around an hour a day, plus another 9 hours per week of ensemble rehearsal, and still catch myself tapping my foot. Once started it's a difficult habit to break, but watching the conductor is MUCH more accurate. The only way to make clear entrances and smooth tempo changes throughout the band is to watch the conductor.
Kim wrote:
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<snip>
Your band director is wrong to tell you not to tap your foot because by tapping, you are on the beat more consistently than other musicians in your band.
<snip>
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Author: Keil
Date: 2000-03-19 13:58
what i always do, is tap my toe inside my shoe so it's barely noticeable, that way nobody get's hurt!!
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Author: Meredith H
Date: 2000-03-19 23:13
Our conductor HATES foot tapping. He threatens to get a nail gun and nail our feet to the floor if we don't stop. We had one older gentleman who got so involved in his foot stomping that he actually caused the floor to shake. It was extremely distracting for everyone around him.
I went to a solo competition and apart from seeing many amazing soloists saw some really bad habits including food tapping. Once girl was a absolutely brilliant player, clearly the best in her section, but her foot tapping echoed around the auditorium. I don't think the adjudicator marked her down for it or it may have been that she was a class above the other competitors as she won any way. However, during the quieter passages the foot tapping really intruded on the music. It was just a bad habit, if she had have used her toe inside her show instead of her whole foot I would have enjoyed her performance much more.
I try to watch my conductor rather than tap my foot but if I have long passages of syncopation work I sometimes notice my toe gently tapping. I so sit right in front of the conductor and in full view on an audience so during performances I always try to make sure my feet are firmly together, flat on the floor and still.
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Author: Laur
Date: 2000-03-20 00:33
Hey -
Thanks for all your help ! I find that's its easier to count by listning to my director, and/or watching him conduct, but durning long repitious passages I tap my foot. However durning like auditions and such expecially when it's nerve wracking I will tap my toe, and that drives my director insane. My problem is - who do I listen to ? ya know ? I have soo many people telling me tap my foot - it's good etc.. yet soo many people saing No! ??!! Usually when I play, I don't count. I mean, I do .. but i listen more for cues and like - oh trumpets come in, were in in 2 .. like that sort of stuff - I dunno .. I guess I'll still tap for rests etc, yet watch more or less thanks.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-03-20 01:03
Our Professor doesn,t mind us tapping so long as he can,t here it and we keep an eye on him for the ritardos and accelarandos(sp). I've got to where I use my upper torso for a metronome so to speak, by gently bouncing or rocking to the beat in a very minute motion. But, Sometimes in a perky peice I will find myself tapping the beat with my right foot and tapping the after beat (top hat) with my left from my old drumming days. It just kinda happens automatically on the old jazz and swing tunes.
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Author: Cholé
Date: 2000-03-20 19:31
If you're gonna tap just tap your toe inside your shoe so no one notices, also your toe gets less tired this way!
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Author: Meredith H
Date: 2000-03-22 00:37
I move my upper body too but I didn't realise it until I was told I did by the girl that sits next to me. We have one piece where one of the main melodies starts out unsyncopated but for most the piece it is syncopated. She keeps wanting to play the opening in the syncop rhythm and eventually the only way she could get it right was by watching me, out of the corner of her eye, bob in time with the moving part. I wonder if I do it all of the time.
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Author: Amber
Date: 2000-03-22 03:37
YOU MUST RELEY ON THE CONDUCTER OR ALL IS LOST!! I can't say this enough to the newer students. The advice to tap your foot is good only if you can keep it with the baton. He is not up there waving that little stick for the heck of it!!
Tapping your toe inside your shoe is the best thing to do. I myself pulse my calf, it is much quieter and ingrains the tempo. You can also use tapping as a way to check yourself. If you are tapping your foot at a different rate than the baton-waving guy, then you are not watching him enough. This can be an excellent way to train yourself to look up and not get tunnel vision. Good luck!!!:o)
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