Author: kehammel
Date: 2021-12-03 21:58
I'm a recently retired biochemist. I did research and taught at a university for many years.
I'm strictly an amateur musician. I started out playing the oboe as a kid, and then changed to playing baroque and renaissance double reed instruments about 20 years ago. Then just recently I decided to learn the clarinet because it's used so much in Eastern European music, which I've always liked. My double reed playing is good enough to play in public concerts, which I love to do, so for sure I'm a "contributor." My clarinet playing is still pretty clumsy, but I hope to get there.
I could not have made it as a professional player of any instrument. To do that, you have to get all the fundamentals under your belt within a few years, so that instrument technique ceases to be a major issue. You need to understand harmony, and be able to hear the individual lines that other instruments are playing in your ensemble. Ideally, you should be able to sing your part at sight. These are areas in which I've gradually improved, but no way did I have what it takes to learn it all quickly when I was 20.
Instead, I learn as amateurs have always learned: I use the music that I'm currently playing as a tool to improve my skills. Meaning, an awkward passage or an intonation issue comes up, and once I solve it the improvement gradually shows up in other pieces. Then I'll come back to the original piece later and try to sing the part, or maybe figure out the implied harmony and change some of the notes. This osmosis method works and is fun, but it's much slower than the systematic practice of long tones, scales, and arpeggios that an aspiring professional needs.
I know some professional classical musicians, and what I hear from them is mixed. On one hand, they have the rewarding experience of producing a really high quality product in collaboration with other experts. That's also a worthy goal for amateurs, but their end product still won't be as good.
On the other hand, most professionals are on the road a lot and don't make much money. A bassoonist friend of mine said he was tired of this and especially tired of the feeling that he was just a cog in a machine in his professional symphony orchestra. He said it was all about technical reproducibility in playing the same part over and over again; there was little artistry involved.
Some pros are so stressed out from the pressure to make no mistakes that they take beta blockers, and that can hurt you. For some, the incessant practice leads to neuromuscular damage. I would say, if someone likes playing music much more than other activities, and is really good at it, then sure, they should consider going professional, but they should also be aware of the downside.
Once when I was bitching about my science job, my bassoonist friend said, "I think you've got a good gig."
Post Edited (2021-12-03 22:37)
|
|
The Clarinet BBoard
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
