 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Morrigan
Date: 2006-02-20 05:05
G'day all from Australia
I write this post in response to a guest lecturer we had today at school. She is a pianist of great experience and wisdom and when I asked about study overseas, in particular Italy, she went on to say that in Australia we are comparitively lazy. Apparently, students overseas (We were talking about Europe and the US) practice in excess of 8 hours a day and that this is common practice.
Now it's pretty obvious she was referring specifically to pianists, but clarinettists couldn't be too far off this could they? I thought 3 hours a day was quite good for someone who has only just completed an undergrad, but I was shocked to learn how hard students elsewere are working.
Can anyone confirm or deny these reports? Just how hard are clarinettists working, at an undergrad level, and what amount of repertoire are they getting through?
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Author: ClariTone
Date: 2006-02-20 05:23
I'm a senior in high school (planning on majoring in music ed.) who puts in about 2 hrs. a day on clarinet, and that's pretty dedicated in my neck of the woods (SW Missouri, USA)...
Clayton
Post Edited (2006-02-20 05:25)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-02-20 05:36
My teacher who comes from Russia told me how they decided who to accept to the university there. They ask someone how much does he practice, he says 6 hours a day. They the second one how much does he practice, he says 8 hours a day. They accept the second.
Some famous people were known for their mad practice. According to rumors John Coltrane even practiced in the bathroom during his own concerts while Mccoy Tyner was soloing  He averaged about 8 hours a day.
One of the best saxophone players in the world today (imho) said in an interview he practiced between an hour to 6 hours a day. Sometimes he doesn't practice at all.
So obviously it is not only piano players who practice that much, but I've also heard amazing players that practice no more than 3 hours a day and even less.
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Author: charlie_star_uk
Date: 2006-02-20 08:03
my practise varies from one hour to 5 hours.... sometimes with more study being done on piano parts and harmony....
i do more in the holidays as i am less busy....
i have been told the same about british players which is why i am thinking of going abroad for a while. i have been told that the competition will be good for me.
there are quite a few australian clarinet players at the royal academy here... but i guess financially it is very hard.
charlie
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Author: MisiMcG
Date: 2006-02-20 11:19
When I was an undergrad music ed major (Minnesota/US) I was told I was expected to practice a MINIMUM of 4 hours a day.
Misi
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-02-20 13:29
Working your way "up," particularly in school (conservatory or Univ) it may be advisable to try to get to that 8 hour mode. You can maintain on 2 or 3 but less just doesn't seem competative.
There's nothing wrong with putting in a couple hour in the morning, several in the afternoon and finishing up with a few more in the evening.
...........Paul Aviles
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Author: clarinets1
Date: 2006-02-20 15:53
i would love to be able to practice more. However, with a full-time job, rehearsals, and lessons, how does the average music maker (aspiring musician) really find that much time to practice. i really enjoy sleeping, by the way.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2006-02-20 16:19
I'm retired and feel that I should be able to practice "all day".
Doesn't work out. Aerobic training, life maintenance demands, workshop projects, rehearsals (should NOT be practices) and social "needs" conspire to reduce my practice time to 2-4 hours a day. I generally break my workouts into two sessions.
All that time places a load on my wife --who has learned to shut out both the bloopers and sweet passages.
In my most productive practice years, I traveled for my job and spent evenings in college practice rooms, where my lip permitted 4-5 hour workouts. I think that I could benefit from more practice time; I'm always rushed to do a credible job at my weekly lessons and often bring exercises back for a second week's attention.
Bob Phillips
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2006-02-20 18:34
8 hours a day on a wind instrument is excessive and subject to the law of diminishing returns. (though if it includes rehearsals, I've come close)
This is an area I believe quality over quantity really comes in. It takes a good teacher and a good many years, but deep, intimate familiarity with certain concepts of musicianship can make for extremely productive shorter practice sessions. Similarly, knowing the music you're playing inside and out can cut an incredibly large chunk out of woodshedding time.
If all you're doing in practice is playing series of notes repeatedly, yeah, you might need 8 hours.
Pianists, string, and percussion players don't have to worry about their lips going out, so they can practice longer if they like, in exchange for which they can eat and drink freely during practice and rehearsal. Oh yes, and a higher incidence of repetitive stress injuries among the pianists and string players who do put in the long hours.
It could be worse... you could be a vocalist. They've been known to demand breaks after less than 30 minutes of rehearsal. :P
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: clarinets1
Date: 2006-02-20 18:52
my practice sessions have become shorter, due to the realities of life (earn enough money to keep my living quarters and to keep myself fed). however, i have learned how to concentrate them. i would agree with EEBAum that quality of one's practice session is far more important that quantity. all is a delicate balance.
but, man! it's hard to delicately balance sometimes!!
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-02-20 22:22
I only repeat what I had been quoted by one of my VERY successful teachers who said he is glad that he had put in 8 hour days back when he was in school. It did pay off by the way.
Several other very successful teachers of mine in response to the same old question, "How many hours of practice do I HAVE to put in?," have given me the quote of 2 to 3 hours to keep their technique going. This also includes going on vacations of several weeks at a time leaving the horn behind by the way.
Apocryphal Story:
The Dorsey brothers' father (that's Tommy and Jimmy) was known to be very demanding with his children, a condition tempered by the milieu in which they lived currently known as "The Great Depression." When Jimmy asked his father why he had to practice eight hours a day, his father dragged him to the parlor window and made him look out at a ditch digger in the street. "You see that man out there with the pick axe? He practices six hours a day."
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2006-02-20 22:37
when i was a student I would always do 4hrs a day any more than that and it usually hurt, I would push myself if there was a competition or something like that. Bear in mind that that was including any rehearsals, so you could say I was playing roughly 10 hrs. It takes it's toll so thats why we would always have a few drinks afterwards.
Now I try and fit in 4hrs still but it gets difficult when your rehearsing etc. Teaching is ok cause there is always time to practice, especially if the kid doesn't show.
I do feel that alot of it is in the mind though.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: bcl1dso
Date: 2006-02-21 00:28
I would say that past 3 1/2 to 4 hours is excessive. I read a interview with Marcellus and he said that the only time he practiced more than that was for two weeks when he was trying to prove to Bonade that he could get throught all the Jean Jean studies in that amount of time.
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Author: lowclarinetman
Date: 2006-02-21 02:12
There is a difference in the amount one needs to practice when you are a student and when you are a professional.
When you are a student, and intent on making music your life, it is a good idea to practice as much as you possibly can. I would practice around 6 hours a day in undergrad, and 8+ in grad school. It paid off. i have a job.
However, now i that I am teaching a full load of students and playing in an orchestra I find that I only have about 2 hours worth of practice and this is spread out. 30 min in the morning before orcehstra, 30 min after and a bunch of 5-10 min in between students.
Now you have to take breaks when you are practicing long hours. If you lose your concentration then you are wasting time and in fact could be doing more damage than you are good. Try to stay focused on what you are doing every min. of practice. And never practice paste the point of pain. If you lip starts to hurt, that is all you can do that day. Pushing ahead then, will just cause you to have to take more time off over the next couple of days to recoup.
good luck and happy practicing.
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