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 Recovery and Cram Practice
Author: Stingerbee5000 
Date:   2014-11-01 03:50

Hello! I am a junior in high school and have followed this board since I started and have always found good advice and thought it was nigh time for me to sign up.

About a month ago, my lung collapsed and I was forced out of action and did not really touch my clarinet for three weeks.

I am now cleared for all activities and have begun to try and catch up.

However, there is a competition in 19 days which I would really like to try out for and have done fairly well in previous years.

I did have the music well under my fingers before I had to stop and have found that it is still pretty ok.

However, with the time crunch, I was hoping to know if anyone had advice for 'cram practicing', especially with articulation and finger-tongue coordination which always degrades the fastest and is the hardest for me to build up. My teacher has suggested an extensive and rigorous routine but being in school and busy with tests and etc, I was hoping to learn how to streamline my time.

I really would just love to do my best in the face of this and show everyone what I've got and I earnestly thank you in advance.



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 Re: Recovery and Cram Practice
Author: nbclarinet 
Date:   2014-11-01 05:41

Ive dealt wit certain issues in the past such as embouchure collapse and problems with my soft palate. My personal view has always been to take things slowly and err on the side if caution when it comes to bodily injury.

Im not saying you shouldn't do this competition, however do you really want to put yourself in a stressful performance situation coming off of a serious injury like a collapsed lung. Remember that there will always be other competitions to participate in.

I wish you the best with your recovery!!

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 Re: Recovery and Cram Practice
Author: Slowoldman 
Date:   2014-11-01 16:11

While you may have been "cleared" for activities, the air pressures involved in playing clarinet may not be what your doctor had in mind. Your lung is likely not completely healed at 1 month; and overdoing things trying to get in shape for competition may not be the best idea.

I agree with nbclarinet that you probably shouldn't push it. There will be another competition next year.

Steve

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 Re: Recovery and Cram Practice
Author: maxopf 
Date:   2014-11-02 01:08

Another junior here. I would take it easy for a while. Last year I had my wisdom teeth pulled (certainly not nearly as major as a lung collapsing, of course), and while I was cleared for all activities after a couple of weeks, it was quite a while longer before I was able to play to my fullest extent and without discomfort. Because you've recently had a lung injury and clarinet makes such extensive use of the lungs, I would just be careful.

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 Re: Recovery and Cram Practice
Author: grenadilla428 
Date:   2014-11-03 21:27

I agree.

While I understand the desire to achieve, and to achieve despite adversity, I'd strongly encourage you to look at this through the lens of your health and longer-term playing career, whatever that looks like to you. Having had injuries that have taken me out of playing (one for almost a year!), I can confidently advise that you take your time and rebuild what you've lost rather than over-exert to meet a deadline. You'll have another chance to do this same competition next year, and in the meantime, set your sights on another goal that's further away.

Take care. :-)

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 Re: Recovery and Cram Practice
Author: Stingerbee5000 
Date:   2014-11-06 06:22

Thank you all for your kind replies.

I've been practicing carefully and taking breaks and have decided that I would like to see what I can do- within limits. I think I was in a very panicked state.

The misic is coming along fairly well so I have decided to just try out :)

Again, thank you for the support and I hope to bring good news!

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