 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: William
Date: 2001-12-04 16:51
After all of these years of playing (not too bad, btw), I have discovered a flaw in my left hand technique. In playing my thumb and forefinger notes, particularily throat A-F, G#-F#, Bb-F, etc, I am using my wrist to expediate the finger action rather than let the forefinger and thumb function on their own. What this extraneous wrist motion is doing is cause my whole clarinet to move to the extent that if I were to tie a paint brush to the bell and lie on my back, I could probably re-produce the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Well, maybe not that much motion (or that good), but enough to cause audible technical problems in rapid passages using those notes. My goal is to be able to play F and A, primarily, without any wrist motion to aid the forefinger and thumb actions. OK, you real pros out there, is this a realistic goal and expectation and, if so, what excercises have you used to correct this with your students or yourselves?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-12-04 17:19
William -
There are three excellent Etudes For the Left Hand in the Langenus Method, Part 3. In less than 2 pages, they put you through every conceivable combination of movements. Start them slowly and with your wrist and fingers relaxed. Concentrate on making minimum wrist and finger movements.
Beginners are usually told to "roll that [left index] finger" from the hole to the A key, but rolling implies wrist movement. I've always thought of it as more of a sideward nudge.
When you're doing it most efficiently, you should barely see your wrist or fingers move at all.
Keep at it for a week and give us a progress report.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2001-12-04 17:43
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just picked up a handy instrument and riffed the keys from middle C to throat B-flat, discovering that the tip of my third finger (with a great flair) wound up about an inch and a half from the hole. Absurd! No one has ever having mentioned to me that I was doing that, and I've probably done it forever. And you're right, Ken. I was taught back in the previous millennium to roll my index finger to the A key, and dutiful sheep that I am, that's the way it's been done. Now it's high time to unlearn a wrong behavior and begin *sliding* that index finger up to the A key. But, after all, I'm kinda new at this -- only began playing the clarinet in 1947. Back to the practice room....
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: janlynn
Date: 2001-12-04 20:21
although i am not taking lessons this semester, this particular problem was the last thing i talked about with my teacher and probably the first thing we will work on when i go back.
im not a pro or anything but can offer the advice i got from my teach. as ken said, dont think of rolling up to the A, just give it a nudge and there will be less movement in your hand and wrist.
use a mirror and study the placement of your fingers as you move thru the different notes.
there are good left hand exercises in the opperman books he had me get. (good right hand ones too) i will get the exact edition if your interested. there are 3. study/memorize the exercises then watch in the mirror.
luck JL
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: dennis
Date: 2001-12-05 02:55
William.....
Ken is correct about those LH wrist Etudes. If you can find a copy, Opperman wrote a series of Studies for the LH, RH that concentrated on the wrist movement.
Also, Peter Hadcock address this LH wrist issue to some extent in his book...
The Working Clarinetist.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
