 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: VCMM
Date: 2005-05-29 07:52
Hi all,
I am a former player who has taken a 2 year break from the clarinet. I was wondering if I should/need to have a pro tech look it over? My R13 Bb is about 4 years old, and my R13 A is 20+ years old. They were both in good working order when I last played them 2 years ago. What can I do to prevent potential cracks when I start playing again? I live in Georgia, so it's pretty humid here; would I need to apply bore oil to my clarinet (not once did I do that back when I played regularly)? On the same token, what can I put in my case to help control the humidity in the air?
Also, any suggestions on good books to warm myself up to the clarinet again? I think I was playing at a high intermediate/low advanced level when I stopped. I was All-State throughout high school (principal for 2 years) and played principal clarinet for my university orchestra until graduation. I also performed 2 recitals while in college. I am now 2 years out of college and haven't played much since due to sheer workload from graduate studies. I do miss playing, and I would love to start again on my own (still don't really have the time to join ensembles). Thing is, I've never really worked through any method books in the past; I mainly improved by working on "mainstream" works (eg. concerti/sonatas). Aside from 1 year of private lessons in the 6th grade when I first started the clarinet, I've pretty much been on my own. I did study with a clarinet professor in college, but we mostly worked on the standard (and some not so standard) repetoire, mainly for recital purposes. As a result, I am not at all familiar with the much recommended method books like Baermann III or Klose, so I don't know if they are too difficult for me at my current level. From what I read on this BB, however, I assume these are worthy investments. I did study some of the Rose 32 for audition purposes, but I am not sure if they are appropriate given my current situation (I'm thinking I may need to start even more basic than this).
Anyway, this was a longwinded post. Thank you for reading this far. I would really appreciate any pointers.
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Author: larryb
Date: 2005-05-29 13:39
here's what I'd do:
play your instruments a little at a time for a few days, maybe a week
as you recover your emouchure and other mechanics, pay attention to what's going on throughout the whole range of tones and dynamics
then, you might as well pay a visit to a repair tech and have him/her give them a look over - point out any issues that you noticed, eg: stuffy notes, sticky pads, strange noises; then you won't have to keep thinking about your equipment
as for literature, it sounds like Baermann III and Klose would be fine for you - stick with the Rose, given your experience, you don't seem to need anything more basic; if you still feel like you need to, you could get the Baermann I or Langenus I books for some refreshment of the basics, but the Klose would cover these too.
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Author: VCMM
Date: 2005-05-29 16:18
Hi Larry. Thanks for the reply.
I was wondering about the difficulty levels of the various Hite method books. What might one expect from the Melodious & Progressive Studies books when compared to, say, the Rose etudes. I understand that the Foundation Studies begins simple but contains exercises that are beneficial even to seasoned players. How about the 3 Artistic Studies (the first of which contains the Rose etudes that I have, albeit in Carl Fischer printing)?
Thanks again for the help.
Post Edited (2005-05-29 16:19)
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Author: SueSmith
Date: 2005-05-29 18:08
I'd assume your clarinets are in better shape in a closet in Georgia than they would be north of New York.
I agree with the above suggestions about breaking it in...its good advice.
You will find...clarinet playing is like riding a bike. If you were that accomplished, and only took 2 years off, the hardest thing to do is not to over play and kill your embouchure. I speak from experience haven taken a year off at one point.
When I came back to clarinet I decided to correct all my previous flaws (throat tension, articulation, and air support) that had plagued me in the past but never having had time to "fix". Really, the best thing sometimes is a long period of time off. Your muscle memory in your embouchure and tongue will have forgotten most of the "bad" habits you had, yet your fingers retain much and the mind retains everything.
If you were awarded such honors without steady private lessons in your past, you probably have a high level of natural ability. With your intellect, you should have no problem working through Baermann and Klose...
Just take your time...relearn the physical aspects of playing in a slow, correct manner...and you are more than on your way.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2005-05-29 19:03
It'll come back sooner than you thought if you stick to practicing. I would agree to play a little while and then take the instruments in for pad checks, etc. Your pads may have gotten old in the case and you might want to go ahead and repad with some good quality ones.
I've taken a couple of breaks in my 45 years of playing and found it was actually a good thing for my abilities. Some of the mental hang ups I had before had disappeared and I had more confidence once I got my embouchure back in shape. Lack of breath and sagging embouchure were my main two things to overcome. That only took a couple of months and I was back on top again.
You won't regret coming back to playing. It's such a good mental exercise and emotionally healthy as well. I found I forget about my personal responsibilities and problems when I'm playing in a concert or rehearsing with a group--so find a community band or orchestra or church orchestra--or even put together a group yourself.
Welcome back.
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