The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Relaxing while playing

Author: Liquorice
Date: 2017-04-12 01:44

If you sound "rushed and frantic" in your playing it probably has to do with how you play the time. Jazz/blues players and especially drummers are very aware of whether they are playing on the front or the back side of the beat. These are tiny deviations from playing the notes metronomically. Listen for example to Errol Garner on piano and how unbelievably late his right hand comes down compared to his left hand and the rest of the band. Many classical musicians, while believing that they are playing in time, are actually often slightly in front or behind the beat. Usually this has to do with whether they are playing crescendo or diminuendo and where they consider the high point of their phrase to be. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and fits into what Daniel Barenboim describes as "signs of life" in music making. However, I believe that in all styles of music, it is good to develop an awareness of these micro deviations from the beat so that we can use them deliberately.

For you it might be useful to practise playing late on the beat. Another way to look at this would be to try to fill every beat or subdivision as much as possible: play as long as you can force yourself to before moving on to the next note. Of course this won't be ideal for all pieces of music, but might be a useful tool to try to avoid sounding rushed all the time?

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

Relaxing while playing new

jonathan.wallaceadams

2017-04-11 20:22