 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: gemmaelizabeth
Date: 2002-05-02 10:57
Hi, I have a major problem. I have a really important technical exam in just over a weeks time. The problem is, I can play my scales no problem in a room on my own, but as soon as someone asks me a scale, I can't play them!!
I have tried taking my time, thinking about it, then playing it. I have tried fingering through the first octave, then playing it, But i always muck it up!!! I am really panicking, as if I don't pass this I'm out. And obviously panicking doesn't help!!!
anyone any ideas or words of wisdom?
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Author: 'nifer
Date: 2002-05-02 12:19
Don't stress.. it will come.. but to speed things a bit.. try to vary your pattern slightly.. (flashcards are great for this) mix it up a lot and try it.. or get someone who knows nothing about music (or a friend who knows a lot) to be your flashcard person.. and just to hang out with you when you go through your technical requirements.. sometimes gossip is great to get your mind off of the "I can't do it in front of people" because if you think that way, chances are you will have difficulties..
'nifer
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2002-05-02 13:42
One thing I noticed you said was that, in front of the examiner, you <i>think</i> about a scale before playing it. Do you need to think about the scales when you practice them? My point is, that your subconscious mind works more quickly and smoothly than your conscious mind and thinking through the scales as you play them may hinder your performance. So, take 'nifer's advice, practicing them in front of a friend (or stranger) to gain the confidence that you can play them in front of someone else, even someone who understands music, and then, when exam time comes, take a few deep breaths to relax, tell yourself it's a piece of cake and try to put the listener out of your mind. Relax and focus.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-05-02 14:26
I would also recommend that you practice with a metronome--not for speed but for discipline and control. It will help you not only keep the tempo steady, but also force you to play accurately. Learn to play the whole scale at the set tempo without stopping to correct errors and starting over. Your goal should be "get it right the first time" and at a set and steady tempo (again, not necessarily fast--just steady). If you can do this, then you will have really "learned" your scales and be ready to play them for anyone "on demand." One other suggestion--after you have learned a major scale, also learn the three forms of its relative minor scales. These are the scales that start on the sixth note of the major acale and have the same key signiture. Ex.--the relative minor scale for C major starts on A and uses the same C major key sig.; relative minor for Bb major is G minor. Minor scales are less confusing if they are always associated with their relative majors. BTW, I would offer the same sugestions for learning and practicing arpeggios--major and minor. Have fun!!!!
Once you hve learned to play all of the major and minor scales and arpeggios accurately, then you can start mastering other techniques such as articulations, smoothness between notes, special fingering patterns, extended ranges and intonation. BTW, practicing scales is a lifelong pursuit--like farming, the "work" is never finished (always some fence to mend or crop to weed). Good Clarineting!!!
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Author: Lindsey Ondrey
Date: 2002-05-02 17:54
I ditto the friend randomly quizzing you. My teacher does this during warm ups in lessons and it has helped tremendously. I now am getting ** much ** better at playing my scales on cue and I never know what he will ask me to play whereas when I am playing by myself I am more likely to skip the scales or simply play the same ones over and over again -- mostly the easier ones-- to make myself feel better about them instead of challenging myself like I should.
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Author: gemmaelizabeth
Date: 2002-05-03 11:08
thanks for the advice everyone.
Alot of my friends have taken up the challenge of testing me on my scales.
I don't think its thinking about the scale that is hindering my scales though. Its more the pressure of playing them in front of the examiner.
I don't really think of the scale note for note though, I think about whats in the scale first.... you know sharps, flats etc, then I play it.
I'm hoping its 'week before nerves' if you know what i mean! One of my friends says its the musical law for everything to fall apart the week before an exam!!!!
thanks everyone!
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Author: Kim
Date: 2002-05-03 17:40
Just keep practicing them as much as possible. You just need to learn them well enough that even extreme nervousness cannot shake them out of your fingers. Playing them in front of people is a great thing to do, too. (You get to 'practice' being nervous). I think that being really prepared is a great confidence booster. How nervous can you be if you're feeling confident? Anyway, best of luck.
Kim
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-05-04 10:56
Perhaps it is the distraction of the situation that undermines your ability to get the scale right.
So introduce some serious distraction while you are practicing the scales, so that you are also practicing dealing with distraction - i.e. ignoring it. Try practicing them while some familiar music in another key is playing from a recording.
It sounds crazy but it has worked.... I consolidated the playing of some beginner groups by loudly and raucously playing the national anthem while they were playing their performance item.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-05-04 15:24
Just a note about "learning" scales. It's all about muscle memory, not so much about remembering what each note should be, flats or sharps, or the key signature. If you begin to associate "A major" with a certain fingering pattern, things will definitely become easier.
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