 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinetgiggirl
Date: 2003-01-27 19:04
I practice a lot with Band-in-a-Box (the computer package). Is it possible that this is making my playing more mechanical and less emotional?
Your opinions would be very welcome.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2003-01-27 21:45
CGG -
Practicing with a mechanical "partner" is better than with nothing, since every performance except an unaccompanied solo requires you to adjust and play with someone else. On the other hand, playing with other people is quite different from playing with a machine. Live people adjust to you, and you have to adjust to them and not just match a pre-existing, and probably metronomically exact, tempo.
As you get better, unless you are in a professional ensemble, you'll spend most of your time playing with people who aren't as adept as you are, and a big part of your job as, say, a section leader is to bring out the best in others, as well as play your best on your own. For example, if you're playing duets with someone who has to slow down on the difficult parts, your job is not just to play perfectly, without slowing down. Rather, it's to get the two of you through the piece, so that both of you sound as good as possible.
Anything that helps you learn to listen and adjust is good. Playing with people is even better, but if you can't always do that, don't worry about playing with the box.
You have to be able to play perfectly "straight" as part of making music. You should practice your scales with a metronome, which gives you a perfectly even foundation, and you make music even when you're playing scales, by making each group of notes hang together.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: thomas piercy
Date: 2003-01-27 22:32
If you are inclined to play with "emotion," no box is going to make you play with less emotion, or less muscially, when you are away from the program. If you are only a mechanical player, then you will continue to be that mechanical player.
However, I don't think the two sides as you have written -- mechanical and emotional -- are mutually exclusive. Having technical mastery, or mechanical mastery, over what you are playing will enable you to play or manipulate the music with more "emotion" as you are the one in control.
Playing with the "Band in a Box" or a metronome can often show you areas of weakness and help you even out those areas, so can playing with other players; both are needed.
Tom Piercy
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Author: Jean
Date: 2003-01-28 15:28
I like my cd's for practicing, I feel I work some of the bugs out and then when I get with my pianist I don't waste her time. Then we can add the rubatos, tempo changes, etc.
My accompanist is a busy girl and she is hard to track down. And expensive....so I think this is a great option.
Jean
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Author: Marcia
Date: 2003-01-28 21:44
Have to confess I'm not familiar with the term "band in a box". Is it anything like "music minus one"?
Marcia
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Author: clarinetgiggirl
Date: 2003-01-29 07:32
Band-in-a Box is a computer programme. You can type in chords, select a style (e.g smooth jazz, Django style or rag time) and it will play the chords to you which you can use as a backing.
Given the advise above, I shall continue to use it. I think that it is right that it can iron out problems before meeting with 'real' people and my (interesting) sense of rhythm will probably benefit. I will also have a go at practicing scales to a metronome.
However, I will also take every opportunity to play with friends because B in a B is similar to playing with a metronome and one can never really communicate with a metronome!
Thanks everyone, your help is appreciated.
CGG
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