 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Copland
Date: 2007-01-20 20:48
Hello everyone!
I'm a 9th grade Clarinet player and I enjoy playing a lot. I have a private teacher and am also in one of the school bands. I've participated in several New York state honors bands, and have done quite well on several solo presentations.
However, I have one major pitfall: I'm very bad at sight reading. I've never been very good at it, but the more advanced my solos get, the worse I get at sight reading. Does anyone have some advice about how to get better? Would a book on Music Theory help? Should I be doing something special while practicing.
Just so you know, I'm at NYSMA level 6.
Thanks in advance!
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Author: D
Date: 2007-01-20 21:07
I am bad at it too.
Try ignoring the notes and just learning the rhythm on one note with a metronome playing. That sometimes helps.
There is a series of books called 'improve your sight reading' which can be quite useful (They also do scales ones). They are published by Faber, and written by Paul Harris. And you can buy them on line.
I found that playing in a small group without a conductor was helpful because you really really have to work hard to pick up on all the clues in the music to stay together and it makes you much more aware of what is going on in other parts.
As you have a teacher I suggest you request that lessons have a heavy sight reading focus until you feel a little more comfortable.
However, I still find that there are many things that totally defeat me so I shall be watching this thread with interest in case there are any really good ideas.
Post Edited (2007-01-20 21:14)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2007-01-20 21:14
Copland -
You learn sight reading by doing it. Get a dozen 1st clarinet parts from your school's band library and read through them. Then get a dozen more. At your lessons, ask your teacher to spend a few minutes reading through things with you. Of course, you'll drop out, but learn to jump back in.
Knowing theory helps, but it has to be in your fingers, not in your mind. The way to learn is your Baermann III book, which has scales and arpeggios in all the keys. Get them in your muscle memory, so that when you get to them in unfamiliar music, your fingers already know how to play them.
See my description of "chunking," "restricting" and looking ahead at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=228122&t=228105
Ken Shaw
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-01-20 21:16
From the NYSSMA manual, concerning sightreading:
The Level VI sightreading can be in any key signature up to 3 sharps or 4 flats.
The meter can be either 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, cut time, 6/8, 5/4, 7/4 or mixed.
Syncopation can be used.
Accidentals can be added.
There can be interval skips as large as an octave.
There will be a combination of slurring and tonguing.
Dynamics can range from p to f, with crescendos and decrescendos.
...GBK (a NYSSMA judge)
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2007-01-21 07:23
While I imagine this would be trickier to find in 9th grade, playing in a contemporary music ensemble did wonders for me. We were given music at times that I still believe was not humanly possible to play, and made doubly tricky with the very limited reherasal time we had. The best I could do is to "play what it looks like". I missed notes right and left, but did my absolute best to make it sound like what it looked like it should sound like (lots of ascending quick-tongued notes on the page, I played lots of ascending notes, quickly tongued, in that general range). And the audience, conductor, and other performers all insisted (unsolicited opinions) that I sounded fantastic.
Of course, as the concert neared, and with practice, my accuracy improved, but playing "what it looks like" got me a great running start and has become the cornerstone of how I sight read.
Once you stop freaking out about playing "exactly what's on the page" and can allow yourself to play "what it looks like", you may very well find yourself significantly freed up to actually play the music with decent accuracy as well.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-01-21 14:15
Hello Copland
(Presuming you give yourself 30 seconds to look things over before you play, as happens in many auditions.)
Ask yourself these questions:
What Key?
What time signature?
What tempo?
Begin counting the tempo you will take in your head.
If you do not answer these questions you will have little chance of success.
By beginning to count ahead of time you will develop a better feel for the meter, and you will also be able to adjust the tempo up or down depending on what you see.
PLAY MUSICALLY. Musical interpretation forgives many mistakes.
Remember that the question isn't WILL you make a mistake (you will) but what you DO with the mistakes you make? (although yes, there are those who can sight read perfectly).
Now follow everyone else's advice, but remember: you can only sight read something once!
Good luck,
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: D
Date: 2007-01-21 14:23
Oh and I forgot to add earlier,....don't forget about the rests when sight reading. They are part of the music too and should be counted just as carefully.
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Author: ginny
Date: 2007-01-21 17:44
Read the rhythms before you play. Practice reading rhythms.
I say the sounds they make, it sort of indicates tongueing as well. It has improved my sight reading greatly.
Tah tee dee
would be a quarter note followed by two eights slurred. I don't know of any source for rhythm sounds for winds, but I sure would love to have a set.
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Author: Clarinet4hire
Date: 2007-01-21 18:53
Play lots and lots of chamber music. Play as much as you can find as often as people will play with you. I found my major sightreading problems had to do with a lack of "subjection" to different rhytms in different contexts.
Also, work a lot with a metronome to get a feeling of the beat in your body, well enough that you do not rely on your foot for the beat. This will allow you to focus more on what's in front of you. A good metronome is a very important tool. Find one that will divide rhythms up for you. My preferance is the Dr. Beat by Boss (DB-90). You can also work out pitch problems with this tool. I would be lost without mine.
Always be looking 3-6 notes in front of you. Bonade's finger's ahead approach will help you here. You may also find you tongue a lot quicker with this approach. If you can- find a copy of the Clarinet Compendium by Daniel Bonade, you can read what I'm talking about.
Most important, when you approach your music, RELAX!!! A lot of problems can be overcome by allowing the muscles in your body to relax so you're not fighting yourself.
Look into the Alexander Technique. I think it can help.
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Author: Copland
Date: 2007-01-21 21:37
Thanks everyone. I'll take all of your advice.
Just on a side note, it's becoming time for all of us at school to decide what electives we will take next year. I'm thinking about taking music theory. Is it worth the time and effort?
More advice about sight reading is always welcomed, too!
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