 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rynn
Date: 2002-10-11 02:33
Hello
Does anyone have any advice for playing in the 5/8 time signature? I've just started playing Bernstein's Sonata for clarinet and piano. Right now I'm working on the second movement. The 5/8 section is okay when I play it slow. When I play it at tempo... well... I have to start again by playing it slow. Any advice for playing on the 5/8 time signature? Thanks for the help.
Rynn
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-10-11 02:41
Keep playing it slowly. ALWAYS subdivide while you're playing it slowly. Then try beating it in 2 while playing it slowly, subdividing it constantly. Then _gradually_ speed it up. There are interesting metronome devices you can download if you have a PDA that will allow you to set uneven beats. That may help too.
A lot of the music I play (Balkan) has odd meters in it. Luckily they don't change subdivision patterns like the Bernstein Sonata does! That's what makes it a little tricky. One approach for this would be to work without the clarinet and just beat the different patterns while watching the music, going the whole way through the piece. Also, as you speed up, you might try tonguing all of the eighth notes in each measure, subdividing audibly...
Katrina
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Author: Andreas
Date: 2002-10-11 08:47
If you have a warm-up routine that involves playing scales (don't we all change them from the usual groupings of two, three, and four - put them in five instead. In this way you will quickly get used to the idea. (And it's more fun!)
First play 3-2. In an F-major scale I would begin on the low F and turn back from e3 or g3.
Then switch to 2-3.
Next pattern, 3-2 2-3 etc. Whatever you can make up, use your imagination! Soon you can increase the tempo as well.
good luck
A
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-10-11 12:39
Think the word "pharmaceutical".
It is a good 5 syllable word that will help keep your measures of 5 on track...GBK
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Author: Simon P
Date: 2002-10-11 14:50
GBK said:
Think the word "pharmaceutical".
=========
Or 'aphrodisiac' - depending on whether you want the music to sound clinical, or otherwise. . .
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Author: AL
Date: 2002-10-12 00:24
Think 8th notes in a slow tempo. The tempo of the 8th note must remain constant in your mind.
This will be of invaluable help when you come across meters where the bottom number changes often. For example:
5/8 to3/4 to3/8 to2/4 can be played with assurance IF the 8th note is constant in your mind.
***** ****** *** **** Keep that inaudible pulse going in your head.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-10-12 15:36
Recently playing a comm. band arrangement of "Take 5", reminded me of the 5/8ths piece in "Once Upon a Mattress", where I had to concentrate on 3/2 counting to keep it from a 6/8 [a "hurry-up" ?]. Great "words", sim. to iambic pentameter? Don
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Author: Tim2
Date: 2002-10-13 21:16
The 5 notes per beat is tough. For myself, I try and feel everything in one. Most of it is in 2 & 3, or 2, 2 & 1. If you feel where one is and lessen the subdivision in your mind, that could provide what you need.
The last section needs to be worked out slow. Knowing the rhythm is different, the feel of it is what I memorized. Knowing (in my mind) the piano part and feeling how to fit in with it helped me very much.
The word "feel" I used several times my explanation. I think it boils down to that, feeling it. It has to be in your mind, part of you. Studiy the piano part, reading it, what it has and how your part fits.
Good luck. This is such a fun work.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-10-14 00:05
That doesn't work in Armenian dances, where it turns every measure from 2+3 to 3+2 and sometimes not changing or throwing in a 6/8 measure here and there. If you get lost, you're gone! And I had trouble doing it because I spent too much time subdividing and not enough time playing. I almost whited out the barlines because they were a distraction!
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