 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2008-08-06 13:01
Last night was "one of those days"
Nothing seemed to go right. Couldnt get any of my reeds to play well. Tone was awful and hard to produce. the keys seems sluggish (tho I think I was imagining it - since my clarinet is new)I tried to work on other things but couldnt concentrate. I kept trying to get something productive done and finally got frustrated and put it away and didnt accomplish anything.
What do you do when you have "one of those days"? I dont even want to try tonight.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2008-08-06 13:20
When I have one of those kinds of practice sessions, it is time to go back to the basics. I play slow scales, etc while concentrating only on getting good connections between the notes. Or, I do something way different than my current practice needs and have some fun, like playing out of the Brazilian Choro book, or pulling out some old solo pieces I haven't played for a while.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2008-08-06 17:09
Sessions like yours used to frustrate but gradually I came to recognize that they invariably occurred right before a jump in my overall playing ability. Now I wish they would happen more often. We've discussed this phenomenon before on the board. Try searching on "jump plateau" without the quotes and you'll get to some of that discussion. I'd say just get the horn out again tonight and try again.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Pam H.
Date: 2008-08-06 17:50
Don't take it too personally. I had an off night myself last night. I realize that sometimes when I practice, I'll be dealing with crappy reeds or whatever but I'd rather figure that out at home in the practice room than at a rehearsal.
Sometimes we're just tired and like someone else said, maybe play something that it easy and enjoyable for you.
I hope you'll try it again tonight!
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-08-06 21:14
In those situations it helps to have a second clarinet that can be used for comparison since it might not be you who is at fault.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2008-08-06 22:19
When that happens to me, I just go out in the back yard and bat some rocks with the damn thing. I usually get great distance on those days.
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Author: ASBassCl1
Date: 2008-08-08 01:04
Remember STOP.
Stop
Take a break
Organize (are you doing what needs to be done for the day, are you meeting goals you set when you started practicing?)
Proceed and play again
I usually try to take a break and walk around, check text messages, etc. every 20 minutes any day just to allow my mind freshen up a bit.
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2008-08-08 12:01
If this feeling happens for several days and then weeks, it could be that your instrument is in need of some adjusting. If we're not careful about twisting the keys when assembling or disassembling then the pads can get off centre, etc. which affects the sound, thus the playing satisfaction. A couple times now I lost my joy in playing but when the instrument came back from the repairman it was sweet to play again!
Otherwise THOSE DAYS just happen and we have to just muddle our way through them the best we can until the sun shines again. Sometimes simple fatigue is the culprit. Good suggestions above!
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2008-08-08 14:24
actually, I did twist a little too hard the other week. I hadnt even thought of it until right after. I told my teacher about it since i had been taking my clarinet apart to bring to my lesson that day, and she said they can take quite a bit of that. so now i wonder if I did something. specifically it was the left hand Ab/G# key. :(
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Author: William
Date: 2008-08-08 15:07
"What do you do when you have "one of those days"? "
I just put that little evil monster in its case where it will be safe, and then take the rest of the day off. Next morning, I try again...................[repeat, as necessary]
Point is, don't worry too much about it--we all have those days (unless you are Robert Spring ala his video)
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2008-08-08 18:45
>>Point is, don't worry too much about it--we all have those days (unless you are Robert Spring ala his video)
>>
Having one of those days is evidence that we *have* accomplished something. Imagine how much better off we are when we reach the point where we *know* when we're not playing well, when we can hear it for ourselves, instead of honking like geese in blissful ignorance--while everybody listening knows.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: myshineyblackjoy
Date: 2008-08-09 11:25
When I first started playing I must have been one of those honking geese,because My brother would hide my mouthpeice. So I fooled him I got a second mouthpeice and kept it in my desk ,not in my case. You should have seen his face when I started a honking away and he thought he had stopped me,haha......My tone has gotten much better since then(1970).
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2008-08-09 13:04
well, i went thru a few days of being "off" this morning things seem to be back on track. Yay!
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