 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jan
Date: 2001-02-28 11:21
i play in a small community band. there are 3-5 clarinets so usually 1 to a part. im the type of person who would not tell the person next to me if they are playing wrong notes, however....in this song we are playing there is a section thats very fast and difficult for the clarinets. the first week none of us even played it. i worked on it and can play it slowly but when we got to that section i was totally lost as was everyone else...i was trying to follow the kid next to me but it wasnt making sense and when i questioned her she admited she was faking it, just playing notes really fast (and loud). i think if i could concentrate i could get it but not with her next to me faking it. i told the director that we needed to go over that section and he said, "we will" but then he never did. i will be unable to make the concert so im there just there for the practice and i have other groups i play with so i have other music to worry about. should i spend A LOT of time to get this and how do i do it with that kid next to me, should i fake it too, or should i just not worry about it sinse i wont be at the concert any way?
thanks
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Author: Steve
Date: 2001-02-28 14:14
Jan -
I play in a community band too, so I think I can give you some advice on this.
My suggestions are, in no particular order:
If you are not going to play the concert, I would think about whether you should be at the rehearsals at all. It can be frustrating to the conductor and the rest of the band if they are working on things like balance, if that will change when the music is actually performed.
Occasionally, on the really tough passages, if there is so much sound going on in the rest of the band that it tends to drown out most of what you are doing, some faking or simpification may be appropriate. It has to be taken on a case by case basis. You should rely on the conductor for guidance.
Although the conductor promised to go over the passages you are having problems with, it sounds like he has more on his mind than your trouble spot. In general, at community band rehearsals, time is very important, and it is not fair to expect the entire band to sit around while another section works out notes. A more reasonable solution would be to have the clarinet section get together before or after rehearsal to do some woodshedding on the parts.
Hope this helps.
Steve
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Author: Jan
Date: 2001-02-28 14:50
steve: thank you for your thots
i wanted to give you a little more information
the group is Very small- about 20 people. the director welcomes anyone to the rehearsals even when they cannot make the concert so that we can try and get as many parts covered as possible. i asked him before hand if this was ok and it was not a problem to him at all. But, i know all to well how the balance can be thrown off when suddenly things change the night of the concert becuz he brings in people from his other band on concert night to fill in the gaps. its hard to play next to someone you havent played with all semester.
unfortunately the band is too small to drown anything out
the conductor had stopped to go over the difficult parts with the trumpets, the flutes and the saxes ....he does this often to help us along and there is some waiting involved for all of us. and sice he had just stopped to go over the sax parts i didnt think it was inappropriate to ask for help with our section. but perhaps a section get-together might be a better choice and i will mention it to everybody next rehearsal.
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Author: Steve Hartman
Date: 2001-02-28 18:02
Jan:
If the passage is so difficult that it can't be worked up with a few hours practice, try alternating beats (or whatever seems appropriate) with another player. That might be all you need to make it sound right.
Steve Hartman
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-02-28 21:50
For your own personal develop, don't fake it but just do the best you can at this time. It sounds like this would be a good piece to make a copy of (if it is old enough to be out of copyright) and keep in one's stack of study materials for long term technique development. What is the piece by the way?
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-03-01 03:14
Faking lays a very poor foundation for any future improvement. Another option is to practice it at home, but at rehearsal just put your instrument down for that bit as if you have a bar or two rest. (The audience would think so.) Leave it for the other player to make a more exposed fool of him/herself, but don't undermine your own technical foundation by joining in the facade. In an exposed setting you cannot blend while you are both faking. The longer the other player fakes the more difficult it will be for her/him to ever play similar passages cleanly and accurately.
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Author: Gavin
Date: 2001-03-01 03:19
To fake it or not to fake it...
I think it's fine to fake the notes if you cannot play the written ones in time. I say play any note, as long as it's played in time. It sounds like the person next to you is slightly out of kilter in his/her zeal to play as many notes as possible. This is most annoying if you have to sit next to someone who does this. You can drop notes out. You can play the wrong ones. Just as long as you play IN TIME.
And, another word of advice, never tell anyone you're faking, and almost certainly noone will ever know...
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Author: Jan
Date: 2001-03-01 12:36
i want to thank everyone who gave me suggestions...i am taking each one seriously.
steve-i will mention to the director that a section get-together might be a good idea and i'll even run it if he cant be there.
steve hartman-alternating beats wasnt something i had thot of. i will give this a try too and see how it works out.
dee-i will definately make a copy and keep it to practice-our director encourages us to make copies of all our music anyway.
gordon & gavin - i will give a shot at playing what i can in time but sinse blending would most likely be impossible i think i will take your advice and rest during that section if i cant play it in time and let the kid next to me play what she wants...it wont be a benefit to her not to work on it.
thanks everyone!
jan
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Author: deejay
Date: 2001-03-02 02:00
I have community band type thing and its really big. They are always 13 clarinet that come and when I first got my music I was like no way.. theres no way I can play this stuff, but then I took it home and practiced and practices and finifally knew my part and was able to play. It doesn't do much good to blow my brains out, because with all the others playing you are not able to her your self, 3rd clarinet play way to loud...
deejay
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