 The Doublers BBoard
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Author: melearly
Date: 2006-05-01 07:35
I touched on this in another thread but thought maybe it was worth it's own!
If you have a daily/weekly (when you feel like it ... ) regime to keep up to scratch on multiple instruments in limited time, please share!
For me: -
The daily exercises section in Weissenborn for bassoon and scales/arpeggios/dominant 7th's usually pick 2 major 2 minor and alternate one day on Bb clarinet, one day on bass - boring!!
slow/fast with tuner and metronome and cresc. decresc. diff. articulation patterns etc.
other ideas?
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Author: ClariTone
Date: 2006-05-01 13:30
Second the scales and arpeggios!!! Also work etudes to increase musicality and to play in different ranges of your respective doubles. Try to set aside an equal amount of time for all the instruments you play, and always strive for a good tone and intonation!!! Without a good tone and good intonation...well good luck getting hired again
Clayton
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Author: rcnelson
Date: 2006-05-01 23:52
The issue I have is simply time. Working 40+ hours a week outside of music does get in the way, but it also provides my family and I with enough money to really enjoy the music when I do play.
I play B-flat clarinet, flute, alto and tenor saxophone. I try to get to the flute more than the others as the flute embouchure is the first to go. So I try to spend 45-60 minutes 4-5 days a week on it. I also practice the flute first if I'm going to clarinet is neglected more than I should, and I only spend time on it when I know I have a gig on it in the coming week or weeks. The alto and tenor I attempt to alternate days on it, and then 50-60 minutes.
Scales, arpeggios, long tones, etudes, just simply playing songs etc. I especially like the Albert scales book for clarinet, the Viola (Berklee) scale and chord studies for sax, the Galway tone studies which by the way have done more for my flute sound than anythting.
Looking forward to a week long where I can spend an hour or more on each of them every day.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2006-05-04 18:16
I don't even try to play every instrument every day. I do tend to play the piano every day, but the winds rotate, not on a fixed schedule, though I do make sure to work on soprano clarinet and/or soprano sax at least twice a week so I don't lose my lip. If I'm tired, I practice recorder, because it's less physical work than the others and just enough less trouble to set up and put away that I'll do it instead of skipping the session.
This past Tuesday, Election Day, I had to get up at 3:45 a.m. to feed Shadow Cat, do the unavoidable chores and walk to my assigned ward in time for setup at 5 a.m.. Once we arrive, election officials aren't allowed to leave the building until we've closed the polls, reconciled the voting book with the tally, locked down the equipment, etc.. This was a simple, all-local election, but after we closed the polls at 7 p.m., it still took us until 8:15 p.m. to get out of there. On days like that, I remind myself that I'm an amateur. Since I don't play in public, nobody's going to know or care whether I practice or not. I gave Shadow Cat her dinner, fixed myself a sandwich, watched the CNN news like a zombie for about half an hour and then crawled straight into bed--and I had a dream that night about playing like a pig in a great big orchestra. The conductor tapped on his stand, pointed his baton at me while everybody looked, and said, accusingly, "You skipped a practice session, didn't you." (Statement, not question.)
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
Post Edited (2006-05-04 18:17)
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Author: BTBob
Date: 2006-08-16 16:08
Everybody's different, and so are their instruments, so I will only recommend...
1/3 of your time should be spent on what bores you.
1/3 of your time should be spent on what frustrates you.
The remaining 1/3 should be spent refining and reinforcing what you know you can do well. Save this for last, as a reward.
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Author: Bret Pimentel
Date: 2006-08-16 21:39
I like to make sure I get to each instrument on a regular basis, but also concentrate enough time on individual instruments that I can make noticable progress.
For example, if I were balancing five instruments, with three hours of practicing each day, I might pick two instruments that especially need work, and give them each a full hour every day. I would use the third hour to rotate daily between the remaining three instruments. After making the desired progress on one of the two "main" instruments, I might move another one into that spot.
Another method I have used, when I want to divide my time more equally between the instruments, is to do something like this:
Monday - 1 hour each: flute, oboe, clarinet
Tuesday - oboe, clarinet, bassoon
Wednesday - clarinet, bassoon, saxophone
Thursday - bassoon, saxophone, flute
...and so on. That way, over the long term, each instrument gets practiced three days in a row, then set aside for two.
Within each instrument's practice time, make sure you cover a little bit of technique (both fingers and tongue), intonation, tone, and interpretation, using fun-but-adequately-challenging exercises, etudes, and repertoire.
It seems that doublers often think they don't need private teachers for their "doubles"--I think that good private teachers are *especially* important when you need to make the most of your practice time. It's amazing how much you can accomplish in a short time with a well-constructed syllabus and good practicing habits.
Good luck,
Bret
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Author: clarinetwife
Date: 2006-08-25 20:08
Oh, my, I am thinking about this lately since my younger son started first grade two days ago. The first day the cat was wandering around all morning wondering why the house was so quiet, that is, until I got out the clarinet. I am with Lelia Loban a little more in that my mix of instruments is not confined to winds. I need to keep piano and clarinet strongly in my routine, as well as learning rhythm patterns and how to pick melodies on the autoharp so I can play Irish tunes with my husband. I also have the whistles, recorders, and the bass clarinet attracting my attention
Do some of you keep a practice journal, and if so, how have you set it up? I think I really need to do so to keep track of my goals and what I am doing every day towards those goals.
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