 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: C.Elizabeth07
Date: 2013-03-10 19:24
This is a bit irrelevant, I realize that. I yes, I know that Quality over Quantity is what matters but I am curious as to what level (I'm not sure that is the right word) people play at here, or what sort of role or purpose the clarinet plays in your life (orchestral musician, military musician, student, hobby etc) and for how much time on average a day you dedicate to practicing. Specifically practicing, not just "playing"
This is just merely out of curiousity
Post Edited (2013-03-10 23:03)
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Author: TJTG
Date: 2013-03-10 20:53
I'm a masters student, and most days I aim for 3 hours. If I am busy or "I don't have time to practice", I tell myself to practice one hour just to keep my face going. I normally take one day off on the weekend. Sometimes I take days off, but I try to always keep going, even when I'm taking a "break" for a couple days.
Personally, I feel like time off with no thoughts on music, is very important. I beat myself up in the practice room and I'm so wound up afterward I like to just zone, go on a walk, or watch TV. I don't understand people who constantly practice and never give themselves a break. Recreation is a healthy part of being a productive person in my opinion. Quality practice time is important, so is quality time off.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2013-03-10 21:23
Military musician here.
. I play a few hours a day, but actual practice time I tend to get an hour, maybe two a day.
What I've done to facilitate this is treat some of my rehearsals as a practice. If I'm playing Stars and Stripes again for WELL over the hundredth time, I'll focus on finger movements, or keeping the tongue as close to the reed as possible for quicker articulation, or focus on relaxing while I play, or something like that. Not the ideal practice session, but I don't think it hurts.
I do need to up my practice time a bit though. I'd like to get a consistent two hours of actual practice time a day, in addition to the time spent in ensembles, on parade fields, etc.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: MGT91123
Date: 2013-03-10 22:56
Clarinet student for two years, in junior year of High School;
I usually practice 5 to 6 days per week, taking the day of my lesson and the next day{lately} off to absorb what has been taught to me.
My average practice time is 45 minutes to an hour or more if I get caught up in a composition I am working on. {Been composing for roughly 6 months} As of now I am not practicing because my clarinet is being repaired. Since I am still in High School, I tend to end cutting down on practicing more than I add more time. {Sleep and hygine and good health/Grades are extremely important to me.}
MG
**************************************************************
Vito student clarinet, B-45 Vandoren mp, traditional Vandoren reeds, #3
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Author: C.Elizabeth07
Date: 2013-03-10 23:02
This is really interesting. I know there are a few orchestral players here and retired orchestral players and I would love to get some of their feedback too! This is actually all really interesting, hearing peoples approaches outside of practice and such. Thank you!
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-03-10 23:21
Interesting thread...Playing vs Practicing. I start my session, "doodling" on some fun pieces to warm up. Then comes the exercises/etudes/scales for about 30 min; then15-30 minutes on a piece or two that I'm learning; then as Alex says, playing a known piece to improve some technical skills/phrasing/etc.
I try not to think of it as practicing, though. Practicing = Work. I play to relax, have fun and learn something...As you can see, I'm not a professional musician. Music is freedom from the daily work of a family physician of 30 yrs.
Tristan
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Author: C.Elizabeth07
Date: 2013-03-10 23:35
That is an absolutely AMAZING relationship to have with music. I actually used to play with a brilliant bassoonist who was a physician as well. My great aunt used to be a concert pianist. She is 93 now and still sits down at the piano and just noodles around and plays from memory. As she does, different concerto's, concert pieces all wind up morphing and melding together into this long fantasia. She is the reason why I fell in love with music. She is a 90 year old never married cat lady, but she lived the most incredible life because of music, even after she retired... She's my idol. Thank you for reminding me of that, I needed that.
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Author: mlz
Date: 2013-03-11 03:11
no, the quantity is very important to me as well, i used to get more days off from my real job where i could put in some pretty good intense practices in throughout the day, an hour in the morning, and hour in the afternoon, another hour later in between doing the necessary errands and cooking dinner and so forth... without that it really is tough for me not ever having been a music major to keep all the scale/chord fingerings and tone quality up to a good performance level. with less days now off in addition to a really busy playing schedule this time of year including a show, i still have to take the time to run thru scales and make sure i am paying attention to embouchure in additon the practice of the pieces and not get lazy for more than day or two or it really tells. .Yeah, practicing and the show becomes work, but once I get to it, enjoyable work .
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2013-03-11 10:15
Clark Brody used to say that 3 hours a day should be sufficient.
John Yeh put in 6 to 8 hours per day in college - it paid off.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: annev
Date: 2013-03-11 16:59
Adult amateur here.
I try to practice around an hour a day, unless I've had a long rehearsal that day (time is limited!). I like to start with scales/arpeggios etc. by ear, then do some Baermann 3, for a total of about 20 minutes. The remaining time gets distributed around etudes (usually one faster more technical, and one slower more expressive, Rose etude), duet and trio pieces, and solo repertoire - often I don't have time to go over all of them so I rotate them around between practice sessions. I also keep things flexible - if the learning on a particular piece is really happening, I spend the time with it even if it means less time with the others. I usually finish with something I've been playing for a while and which is just a joy to play.
One of the things about being an adult amateur is that practice time is often also relaxation time. I think Tristan said something similar above. It's a chance to put your mind in a completely different place from your day's work and enjoy the learning and creativity that happens. When things evolve with a piece I've been learning and I feel that a part of me goes into the music, it brings me deep joy.
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Author: ramsa
Date: 2013-03-11 17:53
Another amateur here also. I try to get an hour a night, and feel cheated if I don't. Usually 1/2 hour on selected duets or study and another 1/2 on Klose materials.
It's all good, but runs me out of wind pretty fast.
;)
This is a genuine signature.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2013-03-11 19:52
When I was a student, especially in my last few years, I tried to practise 28 hours a week. I would have done more if my lip would hold out and if I didn't have other courses and travel time to get to school. I lived in the Bronx and went to the Manhattan School of music.
Once I became a pro I practice as much as I need to. There is no time on it. If I needed to practice 40 hours a week to learn what I had to that's what I did. If I only had to practice 10 hours a week to learn my music and stay in shape then that's what I did, and do. It's different for everyone depending on what you're doing with the clarinet.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: C.Elizabeth07
Date: 2013-03-12 11:00
I realize I never answered this myself although I mentioned it in previous posts I think. I am a grad student studying orchestral performance. And I am gunning for one of those impossible orchestra jobs. And I REALLY want to win a job. I do about 6 hours a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less depending on what my schedule allows. Today for instance I am booked solid from 11-9pm with not even a break to eat. So I woke up at 5 to practice so I could get a few hours in before my first rehearsal at 11.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2013-03-12 14:31
What Ed said.
Students still learning - multiple hours a day, until you master the instrument.
Today, I practice whatever is required to learn my symphony parts, and maintain my tone/tuning/embouchure/technique. Some concerts I sight read, others require many hours or weeks of study.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Paula S
Date: 2013-03-12 20:15
I am an amateur but over thirty years ago the clarinet was a huge part of my life and I used to play 3 hours plus a day. I got to the point where the joy went out of it and I took a different path. I started playing again properly last July. I now feel like I used to when I was at school and used to run home to practice. Most evenings I do one or two hours but at weekends I can do up to 4 hours a day. When I have annual leave I sometimes play for 6 hours a day with breaks inbetween. No-one makes me, I have just rekindled the joy of playing again.
Post Edited (2013-03-12 20:17)
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