 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2001-01-22 23:08
Hey all! I have the privelage to play Shostakovich's "Festive Overture" as a band arrangement. The song is amazing, except the bass clarinet gets stuck from playing on the beat to playing off. I've always had a little trouble playing synchopated stuff like that, but now it's really obvious when it's 20+ measures of off beats. Any advice on how to work this out? It seems so silly to struggle with such a seemingly simple part, but I spent over 30 minutes last night with a metronome trying to work it out. Help!
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Author: Julia Meyer
Date: 2001-01-23 00:52
I love that piece! We played in high school, and I got "stuck" with the clarinet solo. As far as off beats are concerned, all I can say is I am with you completely in your frustration. Ask the horn section..they're really good at it. Seriously though (the horns ARE really good at it generally because they do it a lot), you have to subdivide like crazy when you're first starting it. After a while you just have to feel it..it's hard, it takes a lot of practice--years. I haven't found any one trick, I think its just a matter of practicing and hoping it will work. Good luck!!!
Julia
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Author: fred
Date: 2001-01-23 05:53
Get your metronome back out and set it to eighth notes. Subdivide and count everything in your head. Do this repeatedly until its second nature to you. I know its very tedious but it will not be the last time (or the only rhythym) you will need this skill. I would also sugest memorizing the 20 bars so you could glue your eyes to the conductor. Good luck.
Fred
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Author: Eoin McAuley
Date: 2001-01-23 09:04
While practising, stamp your foot on the beat. When you can play it, practise it without stamping your foot but think the stamping in your head. Be absolutely sure you don't stamp your foot in performance!
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2001-01-23 13:00
Yes, those french horns are masters of the offbeat.
One thing I find myself doing when I have offbeats - it may not be recommended practice - is breathing in on the onbeats and playing on the offbeats. Be careful though - you may hyperventilate if you do this for too many measures.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-01-23 20:31
Francesca -
At the usual Festival Overture tempo (132 or even 144), you can't tap your foot or grunt on the beat and stab at the offbeat accurately, and it's too much of a risk to bury your head in the music and pretend that offbeats are on the beat.
The solution, I think, is not to stab or peck at the offbeat, but to play it fairly gently. At the outset, you can tongue eighth notes to get used to playing them evenly, and then gradually fade out the beats while keeping the "click" clear in your mind. Touch the reed with your tongue on the beat and remove it on the offbeat, while keeping the air pressure up.
An alternative is to think of yourself kicking the rest of the band along, energizing the other players by giving an elegant offbeat to set up the next downbeat. The feeling is to do it with a raised eyebrow and a bid of a wink.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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