 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2002-08-09 17:01
sitting here listening to some clarinet music. a song called 'Pie Jesu' ...is making me sad #1, cuz the song - i mean the tune, i mean the tone - i dont know 'what' it is about it but its beautiful. and #2, i wish i could play that beautiful and i have been trying for a long long time and have come to the conclusion that i have reached my plateau. i will never be more than 'okay'
its like when youre a beginner, you have all this room to grow and it happens quickly. then you become intermediate or whatever you want to call it and you strive to become advanced. well i have been 'high intermediate' for about 5 years. i played for 11yrs then stopped a good long while and started again 5 years ago. have had the lessons, have the want, practice hard, try hard but - i think ive reached my peek and it just makes me sad. i cant play sooo beautiful like some, or go as fast as some. i dont totally suck - but .. do you guys know what i mean?
just needed to write it here where hopefully others will understand. thanks for listening.
JL
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-08-09 17:34
JL,
Keep striving --- you probably have potential you haven't tapped into yet, or you will grow in different ways than you had expected (if that makes any sense). A personal example: I'm 44, been playing fairly regularly since the 5th grade, and there's no doubt in my mind that my technical proficiency on clarinet (in terms of speed and accuracy) peaked when I was in college and has been declining slowly ever since. But, on the other hand, I believe that my sound, intonation and general musicality have continued to grow and are probably better now than in the past (and I hope to keep improving). Maybe what you need is a 'change of scenery', something new to inspire you such as you might get from playing different types of music or joining a new group; or maybe some new approaches to playing such as a different teacher might provide. Anyway, getting sad or depressed (although perfectly natural and understandable) is counter-productive. Although I'm generally a pessimist myself (thus it's hypocritical for me to say this), a positive outlook will do you far more good in the long run! Keep the faith, clarinet-wise.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-08-09 17:45
I know [almost] exactly what you mean, Janlynn. Been there many times. I've found, looking back over more than a few years, that my best playing has always been when I'm resigned to just being where I am and enjoying it. Enjoy other players, sure, but don't 'compare' yourself to them. There are things about your playing that I'm sure I'd envy - and enjoy - but I surely wouldn't let it get me down. Would you want me to???
:)
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-08-09 17:54
Try going back to the basics. Play long tones with a tuner. Then start from the first page of a method book, no matter how ridiculously easy it is. Work on the fundamentals every day.
Maybe making some changes to your playing routine can help. Even treating yourself to a new mouthpiece, reeds, etc., may have enough of a psychological impact to jazz you up again. And if you practice in a dead, stuffy room, try playing in an acoustically live place -- like an auditorium or even a bathroom. Anything you can do to reduce the "chore" element of playing can only help you.
I just picked up the clarinet again this summer after laying off for three years. A couple of months ago, while watching "Amadeus," I took out my clarinet and tried to play along with the Serenade for 13 Winds (the one at the Archbishop's palace where Mozart is playing around with Constanze and they start the music without him), and I just couldn't play the clarinet part as sweetly as the guy on the soundtrack. I felt kinda discouraged, but then realized if I spent my time brooding I'd be just like Salieri -- wasting my life complaining about how good someone else is instead of working to make myself better. So I started buckling down. Now just a couple of months later, I'm the most brilliant clarinet player around again -- at least in my house.
Hang in there.
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2002-08-09 20:16
Janlynn,
I pretty much suffer from the "high intermediate" malady also.
I keep hoping to find the magic reed, mouthpiece, ligature, gig dust,
thumb rest, etc. that will transform me into Eddie Daniels overnight.
In the meantime I have fun plodding along playing 3rd part in our community band and 2nd part in our church orhestra.
Hang in there and keep after it. While few of us are destined to become one of the "top" artists, most of us will continue to improve our overall playing skills if we practice on a regular basis.
Sometimes the changes are so subtle that we don't notice them.
If I look back over five year periods, I can usually find something I'm doing better than I was.
Somewhere there may be a beginner, or a "low intermediate" wishing they could play as well as you.
Good Luck!
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Author: Dee
Date: 2002-08-09 20:43
The better you become, the slower your progress will be to improve over that level. At the high intermediate stage, it takes months (or longer) of practice before you notice a difference. As a beginner, you notice improvement on an almost daily basis.
Try making tapes of yourself every now and then. Date them and save them. Six months or a year later go back and listen to them. Since noticeable progress is so slow, you might think that you have not improved yet if you listen to the tape, you will hear the improvement.
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2002-08-09 21:07
don't feel bad--i'm at low inter. and working to get better.
think of a mountain range. there is always that one big beautiful peak off in the distance. However to get there you have to go down into the valley in order to assend to the next peak. And what do you find but another valley.
So just keep going and someday you will get where you want to go.
On the other hand if you stop then you will always be in a valley
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2002-08-09 21:17
thats what i thot when i first started playing again . and i still had hope after 2 years, then 3 and 4 and now 5 years. i realize it takes months at this level but - not years.
BUT ...but .. thank you everyone for the feedback. i like a lot of the ideas and will try them too. hey , if i cant get any better i might as well try some new stuff, right?
JL
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Author: tim k
Date: 2002-08-09 21:31
As amateur musicians, our real goal is to enjoy music and have fun playing. That's all that counts. Striving for improvement is good. Obsessing about it should be left to the professionals. We're the lucky ones. We can have fun. The pro's must reach and maintain an awesomely high level or starve.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-08-09 21:36
Just remember (as I often tell my students), no matter what level you play at, (and how frustrating it often seems) you are still doing something that 99.99% of the world cannot do (and probably wishes they could)...GBK
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-08-09 21:43
Janlynn -
You can play a lot better, right now, and I can prove it to you.
Go to your record store and get the Naxos reissue of Pablo Casals's recording of the Bach Suites for Solo Cello. Put on the first movement of Suite # 3, play just the first bar -- the descending scale - and hit Pause.
Then pick up your clarinet and play it EXACTLY like Casals. Get ALL of his intensity, thrust and projection. You will have to ROAR to get that. It won't be easy the first time, or the tenth, but you can do it.
To learn to get more volume, try an exercise I posted a couple of months ago. Take a handkerchief-style swab (or a handkerchief) and stuff it tight in the clarinet bell. Finger middle B (all fingers down and the register key open), form a loose embouchure and blow like the wind. You should find the 4th space Eb, and then the overtones above that, like a bugle.
After about 30 seconds, pull the swab out and play the Bach again. You will be surprised at how much sound comes out when you relax and let things vibrate.
Come back on Monday and tell us how you're doing.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Brian
Date: 2002-08-09 21:45
Well said GBK!
We are very special and blessed to be able to make music.
Brian
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2002-08-09 21:56
Hi, just back from a vacation and am bright and sassy again.
Did you notice that none of the above "posters" suggested the first thing that I (a clarinet junky) would have grabbed at? None of them said to change your instrument. Wonder why? Golf analogy follows: I have (over the past three years) bought the equivalent of a "R-13" in various new clubs. Although they look nice and increase my thirst for the game, they have not improved my handicap 5 strokes. I do not enjoy the game any the less (maybe just a little as I thought they would help more), I still get enjoyment out of it when I do play as well as I can--sometimes a little better than I can-- so why not relax and enjoy it. I am never going to be Tiger Woods, but I am going to enjoy what I am able to do.
Then I picik up one of my various clarinets and it starts all over again.
Hang in and ENJOY!.
Bob A
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Author: jt
Date: 2002-08-10 03:24
maybe a year ago i recovered from my intermedate standstill. The key of progressing is quite simple. First and foremost Practice!!!!!practice ever chance you have -it doesn't matter if you've ran through e or b major 4, 5, or 6 times, you must practice until prefection!-yes, practice makes perfect! 2. Enthusiam!!! play with pride and exitement 3. Try to join a jazz band or have solo proformances these hold intrest well they also provide a great amount of motivation! 4. Perhaps a new horn or mouthpiece/barrel configuration but having the most expensive instrument isn't everything
happy clarineting!
jt-
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2002-08-10 04:59
A bit of a different approach to your posting...
You don't mention which "Pie Jesu" you were listening to. A setting of this text is a part of most requiems. The two best known (and likely most performed apart from the larger works) are the Lloyd Webber and the Faure. I suspect you were listening to the Faure as it (origionally a sop. solo) is a great instrumental piece. (Branford Marsallis recently released a recording of it on alto sax that can make ME cry!)
Assuming you were listening to the Faure, might I suggest that at least a part of your mood could come from the effect of the music itself. It is a quite emotional piece with a hauntingly sweet melody. Again assuming you were listening to the Faure, I recomend to you the entire requiem as there are other parts that are just as beautiful and emotional. If you like Faure, try his "Pavane" and "Cantique de Jean Racine."
"Pie Jesu" translates out to "Blessed Jesus" by the way. The rest of the text (taken from the Faure) is; "Lord grant them rest; grant them eternal rest."
Besides the excellent suggestions above, I suggest that you deeply involve yourself in listening to music of varied styles, both recorded and live. To me, living the music inside yourself is the first step to expressing it in your playing.
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2002-08-10 12:55
Jim E ~ it was the Lloyd Webber i was listening to and it 'was' hauntingly sweet. i didnt know the words to describe what i was hearing. it put me in a weird mood. got me to thinking ...i mean, wow if my playing could effect someones emotions the way mine were being effected by this beautiful song ...
i played the 'pavane' in clarinet choir a couple years ago - also beautiful. ....just remembering .... we also did a version of adagio for strings - but it was all clarinets and the conductor was in tears when we all finished.
so - thinking things over, what im trying to achieve (besides being able to go faster) is~ that 'thing' that makes a piece of music touch somones heart. yeah - i think thats it.
JL
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2002-08-10 13:10
Ken Shaw ~ i wrote down the information on the cd you told me to get. so are you saying, that by trying to play that 1st run EXACTLY like casals i will be improving?
okay ~ but what if i come to a point (like with everything else i play) where i cant get it any better?
okay ~ i worked on the Weber Concertino for , hmmm 2 months with my 'teacher' - i have the summer off, but i have continued to work on it myself. i thot i would go back and surprise him. have it up to speed. not have the 8th notes cut short (you know ~ end them with like a breath stop not a tongue stop) and just beable to play it musically and quickly and as much as i try to improve, its just not coming along. not a whole lot better than where we left off.
so - thats is why i came to the conclusion that i have reached my peak. i always reach a point in all the music i play, and then i stay stuck there.
and by the way ~ im not always this serious and dwell on how im doing . i love playing and enjoy it. have a lot of fun with it too. just got in a down mood about it yesterday and i do think some changes are in order. maybe a clarinet trio - that would be fun!
thank you again to everyone. and OH - whoever suggested making a tape - im going to do that.
bye guys, JL
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2002-08-10 21:40
Ken Shaw--that's wild--I do EXACTLY that with the cello suites, except I use Yo Yo Ma's recording and pretend I'm him--just hear his sound and "be" him when I play--did you realize the concept you just described is a lot like Arnold Jacobs' pedagogy?
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Author: David Dow
Date: 2002-08-11 02:18
Allow the sound of the music resonate internally, and use your body entirely as hollow opening to use for music. Relazation is key element in also hearing and reacting to the sounds the composer intends.
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2002-08-11 21:58
you may want to get a copy of "the best of Andrew Lloyd Webber" bor clarinet. This is one of my favorite books, and the arrangement for "Pie Jesu" is quite easy.
there are about 20 numbers in the book. well worth the $7.00
peace
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2002-08-12 00:49
really bob?? cool - i will get it. just love that song. maybe i can play it
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Author: Patrick
Date: 2002-08-12 05:52
Janlynn-
I know you long for a beautiful sound on the clarinet, but you might find beauty in unexpected places.
Borrow or rent a nice alto saxophone for a month, and feel good about yourself again! The saxophone is a less demanding instrument, technically, than the clarinet. Yet it has an increadibly variable timbre that, when the technique is out of the way, lets somebody with something to say musically...say it. This you need to do, and I have a hunch that the instrument you speak with is not the primary issue.
When I hit a wall on the clarinet (I play the contra clarinets almost exclusively...walls are easier to find than doorways when you're in the basement!), I find a session on the saxophone gets me rebalanced.
Joy, luck, and faith to you.
Patrick
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Author: Suzanne
Date: 2002-08-12 22:11
Ken--I don't think it was me who inquired, though I have talked song-and-wind with another sneezy frequenter, Ben, who also is a believer in it. Great to find another! My undergrad teacher's husband studied (tuba) with Jacobs back in the days, and I was lucky enough to be learn it from her, and a little from him too, while getting my BM. Nothing solves a playing problem like tossing all the motor function and going back to my mind's ear, the sound, hearing it, imagining it, and just letting it happen. Anyway, this has nothing to do with the original thread!
Janlynn, everyone platueas, I went through years of having trouble with certain excerpts and then sometimes it just seems like one day they just fall into place--and I wonder, how did I do that? I just keep playing, paying attention to the fundamentals, and slow, slow relaxed practice, and somehow it keeps me improving.
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