 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Robyn_765
Date: 2007-06-12 03:12
I am hoping some of you more experienced clarinet players can give me some advice. I have been playing since 1988, so 19 years! Wow!
However.... I stopped playing completely for almost 6 of those years.
I have started playing again and have re-discovered the joy I found in high school in playing just to play. It can really be stress relieving can't it?? But, I am frustrated because, of course, I am nowhere near where I was before I stopped for that long period.
I guess my question is - what do you recommend as far as daily playing? For the last 5 months, I have been working out of "selected studies for clarinet" by H. Voxman and am re-learning scales and have only gotten through the first 6 etudes. I play about an hour most days, and just don't seem to have enough time to play through everything I want to!
Can you give recommendations on how long to spend on scales, etudes, pieces, tone work, etc.? How can I make the most of the time I do have to practice??? I am also having some trouble with breath control, so any tips for helping with that would be appreciated as well.
-- Robyn
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Author: KennyM
Date: 2007-06-12 04:25
Robyn,
I'm glad you are back on the clarinet horse!! I have close to the same experience but I had a eleven year gap.
I played at a reasonably high level. I was performing the Debussy, Brahms, Weber, Messian pieces. I could play scales and arpeggios like mad. Well, I was in for a surprise when I started again. It's almost like preparing for a marathon. I'm getting there.
The first thing I did was got myself an excellent private lesson teacher. She is the principal in the symphony here. Even though I used to be the one giving the private lessons, I thought this was a great kickstart. We meet every 2 weeks.
The structure of my practice and lessons involves:
1. Long tones. Low E with no tongue attack and ppp, crescendo to ff into the note 1/2 step up, decrescendo gradually on the upper note, back to ppp. Use the same amount of intensity, if not more for the diminuendo. Go back to low e and play E-F#, E-G, and so on. I do this for 3 octaves.
2. After that I go into the Klose' scales, major and minor, chromatic. All with a metronome of course!! I know Baermann scales cover a wider range but this is just to get back into the game. Also, I'm doing the little numbered exercises throughout the Klose' book. I call them "finger breakers" They can be boring, but I concentrate on a smooth tone through all notes and changes.
3. I work on some etudes out of the Hite Book 2, rather than doing too many, I really try to perfect one.
4. I play duets with my teacher at the end of the lesson. This helps me to hear someone elses tone and it's fun.
I spend 30 minutes on long tones and scales. The rest on the etudes.
As for breath control. I know some of this is basic, but sit up straight for sure, no slouching. LOL. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. I'm sure others have lots more advice.
Ken
Deep in the Heart of Texas
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-06-12 04:56
I would suggest using the 6 day practice routine for basic fundamentals as was originally laid out by Marcel Moyse.
I've posted it a few times in the past -
It is spelled out in detail in this thread ...GBK
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-06-12 07:28
I play (ALMOST daily . . . sometimes I take a day off) page 123 out of the Klose book. It's all major and minor scales, two octaves each. And I'll switch whether I play melodic, harmonic, or natural minors every day. I also play all arpeggios after each scale. I also play the all the scales in the thirds every day. Not fast, but I play 'em.
I find it to be a good warmup before doing anything else and it takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2007-06-12 07:48
As I advised someone else in a similar situation a few weeks ago : Join a community band or orchestra. This will expose you to lots of different styles of music, and your playing will improve very fast, especially if you take the parts home to practice. I have been playing in a community concert band for about 4 1/2 years, and my playing has improved dramatically.
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