 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: acermak
Date: 2014-09-28 22:12
I'm joining a community band. It's the only ensemble bigger than myself and my instructor on duets I'll ever have played in. I was brutally honest when I signed up with the fact that I'm new to playing (I've been taking lessons for over 2 years now on soprano and over 1 year on harmony clarinets). Despite that, they still seem willing to have me play with them.
I was not in the band in school or college, so have no experience with taking direction, rehearsals etc.
I, of course, practice for my lessons. This involves starting a new piece at a slow tempo, isolating over segments where I'm faltering, getting it smooth at that tempo, then cranking the metronome up a few more notches (5pm typically, slower if I'm already near the desired tempo or it's just tough music), then repeating until it's time to work on the next piece or I'm exhausted or whatever, and then I do the same thing the next day picking up again at the same tempo I ended the night before. For duets, I typically record both segments in pieces (lines 1 and 2 or 3 through 5, etc.) and then play against the recording.
Is practice for ensemble playing similar?
Any advice for a beginning ensemble player? Oh, yeah, I'm old, too, in my late 40s if that matters!
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Author: derf5585
Date: 2014-09-28 22:23
I too have joined concert bands after years of not playing. Did you have to audition? The 2 bands I have joined did not.
I showed up at a rehearsal. Sat at the last 3rd clarinet position TRIED to play the music. Went home and practiced. I still can not keep up some of the time. So I just keep quiet and wait until I can join in again.
Good luck
fsbsde@yahoo.com
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Author: acermak
Date: 2014-09-28 22:32
No. No audition needed. I provided my info and was given a suggestion of which instrument I should bring.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2014-09-28 23:08
Your good habits put you ahead of most community band players. You'll do fine. All players are feeling their way during the first rehearsal. Just watch the conductor and stop right away when he/she stops.
It helps to raise the music stand and tilt it so that you can see the music and the conductor at the same time.
Take the music home and work through the difficult parts so you'll be ready at the next rehearsal.
You need a metronome. A perfectly fine one goes for less than $10 http://www.amazon.com/Korg-MCM1RD-Digital-Metronome/dp/B003OVDW52/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1411929455&sr=1-2&keywords=metronome+korg, or you can use a free one on-line http://www.metronomeonline.com/.
Set the metronome at a VERY slow tempo and work a tough passage -- one at which you can play through perfectly 10 times. Never go faster than perfect. Slow practice is just as good as fast.
When you get lost, stop playing and watch the player next to you to get back in synch.
Keep at it. Concentrate on keeping a steady beat.
Ken Shaw
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Author: eac
Date: 2014-09-29 00:44
It will help you to learn the conducting pattern for the various time signatures. Google this topic or just look at the one listed below. Stick with 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 6/8 at first. The most important beat is of couse beat one. Don't be ashamed to sit and just listen to the rest of the ensemble, particulary during the first read through. And if you can find recordings of the music y'all are playing, watch/listen to them with the music. Your conductor may have ones to recomend, look at the JW Pepper web site or just find them on youtube.
Or download a metronome for your iphone or smartphone for free.Look at the reviews to choose the best one. You can buy a better or different one later as you advance.
http://beststudentviolins.com/TimeSignatures.html
You will have a blast!
Liz Leckey
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-09-29 02:49
The most important difference in ensemble playing is that EVERYONE needs to play together. So, if you miss notes, don't stop and fret over them, try to keep up with the beat even if it means skipping notes. Some friends of mine were good about just playing the note of the down beats (if frantic sixteenth notes are whizzing by).
It will actually be more fun than anything. I wouldn't worry about it!
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2014-09-29 06:48
Sit in the third clarinet section, play what you can and listen to what you can't keep up with. One nice thing about being in a community band is that you aren't responsible alone for your part. There are others playing the same thing you are playing, so for at least awhile you can follow along with things and not worry at rehearsals if something goes by faster than you can read it. You then have an aural model you can use when you practice the parts at home by yourself.
Keep in mind whatever happens that you're there at rehearsal to enjoy playing. You'll get more comfortable as time goes on and you get into the rehearsal routine. At the beginning don't set unreasonable expectations for yourself.
Oh, yes, apart from the metronome for practicing the parts at home (most of my students use phone apps - try a few to see which ones are easiest to control), put a couple of pencils in your clarinet case and leave them there for rehearsals. Use one to mark reminders into your part of anything you need to remember at home or for the next time you play the piece at rehearsal.
Have fun!
Karl
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Author: FrankC15
Date: 2014-09-29 20:57
The biggest recommendation I can give if you have never played in an ensemble before is....Watch Watch Watch. Pay attention to the music director as much as you can.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2014-09-29 23:55
Late 40s is not old for a community band. If anything, it's on the young side.
Different bands have different expectations. If there's more than one band in your area, you might want to try them all, and see which one suits you best.
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Author: CarlT
Date: 2014-09-30 02:16
Okay, I'm nearly 77. Never picked up a clarinet in my life until age 70. I never played anything in high school band (I did take piano lessons at age 40 to the 3rd book which helped me learn to read music).
At age 73 I started playing in the local community band, and if I do say so, I hold my own against almost any of them. I consider the main reason for that is that I practice every day for at least 45 minutes to an hour, while most of the others do not pick up their instruments between rehearsals.
A very good motto is, "Perfect practice makes perfect".
CarlT
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2014-09-30 21:27
The first time I played in a community band, at about 60, I immediately got lost. Within 30 seconds I didn't know if we were on page 1 or page 2. For me, it wasn't so much playing the right notes, it was knowing when to play them.
Here's what I learned. First, you often won't be playing a melody - something you usually do when you're working on etudes or method books at home. A melody is a great crutch.
Second, you've got to count like crazy - both the notes and the rests. Don't stop to ponder your wrong notes - keep going.
Third, when you get lost, stop (and pretend to play if you wish - most likely
you'll be the only one who knows.) You'll soon learn the landmarks where you can rejoin the group, stuff like fermatas, big tempo changes, perhaps cue notes for other instruments, repeats, big mood changes, etc.
Take some of the band music to your teacher and work on it together, especially the counting.
And keep at it; it becomes easier and soon becomes enjoyable.
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