2/13/18--When should I upgrade to a new instrument?
I just bought a brand new clarinet in the key of A! It's a Buffet "Tradition" to match the b-flat I bought last year. They are the two best clarinets I have ever owned! I just love how they feel and sound!
A professional player changes instruments more often than a student. The more use the clarinet gets, the greater need to change. I have friends in professional orchestras that change every three years. I played a set of clarinets (b-flat and a) for ten years before I felt it was time to change to my newest pair. But for a student, how do you know it is time to upgrade?
Most clarinetists start playing in sixth grade. This is mostly because of needing large enough hands to reach around the instruments and wide enough fingers to cover the holes. Most students start on plastic clarinets, which is good. Until students get used to putting together and taking apart the clarinet, as well as how to hold it and care for it, they need the durability of plastic. They wood that most professional clarinets are made from is very temperature sensitive; cracks form in the wood when the wood expands (in heat) or contracts (in cold) too quickly. For a youngster who is just getting used to have to carry a case with them, they might accidentally leave it in a car on a cold night. Plastic will be okay. Wood won't be.
Around 8th grade, students will start to play pieces that need a horn with a more focused, professional sound, especially as they start playing higher notes. Plastic clarinets just do not have the warmth and focus of wood. Many students will have directors that will encourage them to get "step-up" instruments. These intermediate to professional level instruments are typically wood and are often mechanically smoother than their plastic counterparts. Cost and interest in playing (do you want to continue playing or study/major in music in college?) should be considered when purchasing. Used instruments should be played by the student's private teacher or band director to see if the clarinets are worth purchasing.
Finally, a word about the future. I have seen a clarinet barrel made by a 3D printer. Backun is experimenting with a clarinet made of carbon fiber and wood that is supposedly incredible. Buffet has their Greenline clarinets. Technology is pointing us toward a day when we will have a clarinet with a composite body that will not have issues with temperature changes or time. Our "step-up" clarinets will last longer--possibly forever. I can guarantee they will cost more (at least at first), but if all I have to buy is one for my lifetime, I'll pay a bit more up front.
01/17/18—Why study music?
As a new year dawns, I decided to take time to reflect on a question—Why study music?
Numerous papers, articles, and blurbs have been written on this subject.Research has even been done.But this isn’t a “scholarly” type of paper.It’s a blog.So I’m going to give you my thoughts.These are things I’ve witnessed in my 20+ years of private teaching and 30+ years of playing.
- Music isn’t instant.In our society, everything is so easily available at our fingertips.Interested in a topic?Google it.But music isn’t that way.It takes hard work, dedication, and perseverance to master, and there is value in that.
- Music is a positive way to express oneself.No matter what mood you’re in, there’s a piece for it.Or make up your own.If you’re sad, play a slow, minor piece.If you’re happy, play something fast and major.Or do what you want.Just have fun.
- Being in a group, like band or orchestra, is a great lesson in team building.Each student in the ensemble has to pull his or her weight for the whole group to be successful.This has tremendous applications for any student’s future.So many jobs are “project” oriented, and a “team” of people has to work together towards a goal.
- Playing an instrument uses numerous brain and muscle functions at once.It’s great for hand-eye coordination, and great for “brain training”.It’s also great for memory.You’ve probably heard the phrase “music makes you smarter”—well, it does!
- Music is fun!It’s challenging at times, but when you’ve worked so hard on a piece and it sounds great and you finally perform it, the feeling you get is magical!
These are just a smattering of answers.There are many more.But if you are a parent or student who is “on the fence” about starting the study of music, I say jump in!Find an instrument you are interested in pursuing and go for it!It’s so worth it!
12/23/2017
Happy Holidays, ya'll! Yes, in Oklahoma, we say "ya'll"!
Many of you are enjoying the break time, sipping cocoa or coffee by the fire or maybe visiting family. That is what this time of the year is--a time to "chillax", as my teenage son says. Resting is good, but don't forget to practice!
"What?" some of you say. "Me? Practice during the holidays? But...but...but"
For some of you, this is a "no-brainer". But others of you want to take the entire two weeks to a month off and not touch your clarinet. A few days, ok. Maybe even a week. But find something to practice. Go to your local music store and buy some fun books. Play Christmas songs. I have several books of Christmas tunes. More importantly, I have several duet books. I also have tons of clarinet quartets. I've read duets with my friend and fellow area instructor Rozetta Strother, and I've read trios with some very good students of mine. My birthday is next week, and I hope to spend a portion of it playing quartets with some students (it's my favorite thing to do on my birthday)! Yes, I know it might sound nerdy to some of you, but it's incredibly fun, and good sight-reading practice. Many of the holiday pieces you might be familiar with are in duet books, or might be in your band books. The point I'm trying to make is that you can make practice fun and light over the holidays. You are still playing and therefore working on those things that will help you to be a successful musician. You might even play some songs for your family.
So have fun playing by practicing something a little lighter than normal. Believe me, your face muscles will thank you when you start playing again in band when school starts up again.
11/13/2017
Smart practice
When I was young, I practiced so much. I practiced for hours at a time. It’s a wonder my parents still have their sanity.
My instructor at the time was a wonderful person, and one of the best teachers in my area of Oklahoma at the time. He’d always tell me to practice, but never told me how to practice. So a lot of my efforts were fruitless. I was under the impression that more practice equaled better playing. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Practicing is an art form. It takes thought and planning. So let’s look at ways to maximize our practice time by creating a practice plan.
Warmups (approx. 7-10 minutes): Start with warm-ups to get the air/mind/fingers/brain engaged. Here’s a sample of what I might do:
- Long tones(3-5 minutes)
- Finger warm-ups (I do small chunks of the chromatic scale up and down for 3-5 minutes)
Scales (approx. 3-15 minutes): How much time I have determines what I do.
- If I only have a short amount of time, I might do pg. 123 from the Klose, which I have memorized. It takes me through all of my major and minor keys, and I can do it relatively quickly.
- If I have more time, I play through several scales starting on every note of the scale and going two octaves while playing in that key. This allows you to play recognize and play any scale even when it doesn’t start on the tonic (first note of the scale).
- If I want to devote more time, I take out my Baermann and play through scales, arpeggios, and thirds (at least), or everything in a key.
Etudes/Literature:This is the rest of your practice session. Try some of these tips:
- Practice your hardest measures or sections first at a slow tempo and gradually speed them up!!! The tough parts need the most time. Practice them correctly!
- Repeat your tough passages a minimum of five times absolutely correctly. Don't settle for mistakes! If you are on the fourth time and make a mistake, start over at one and do five times again. This way, you do not practice in mistakes. If you only get a challenging measure right part of the time in your practice, you give yourself a 50/50 chance of hitting it correctly in a high pressure situation like a performance or audition.
- Practice slowly, building up speed over time. Set a goal tempo increase goal for that practice session. Record your ending tempo on a post-it or lightly on the page near the passage you are working on. The next day, start a little slower than your end tempo, but go further than you did the day before. This will help you to not get frustrated. Remember to build up the tempo over days and don’t try to go to the performance tempo (if the tempo is fast) all in one session.
- Spend a little time on each measure/section, and move on. Return to it the next day.
Breaks: It is very important to take frequent breaks to avoid frustration and exhaustion. Practice in small segments of between 15 and 20 minutes. Intersperse these session between your homework and afternoon/daily/nightly routine .This will keep your mind fresh on these subjects and your music. If you end up going 30 minutes, it’s okay, but do yourself a favor and take a break.
Practice journal:It might be helpful to keep a practice journal until practicing this way becomes a habit.It’s also nice to see your progress.You can also make notes in your journal if you have a question for your instructor.I do not do this, but some people do find it helpful.
There are some good articles online about practicing.One is “8 Things Top Practicers Do Differently”.The other is from a segment NPR did on practice.The online article “10 Easy Ways to Optimize Your Music Practice” is a result of that segment.
I’ll continue to post tips for students (and teachers) in my blog.I hope these suggestions are helpful.
11/5/2017
After 30 years of private teaching, I've finally embraced the technological age and made a website! I learn new things every day--and this, my friends, is new.
So for my first post, I just want to be brief and welcome all of you to my site. I plan to post many things about teaching and playing clarinet here, and I hope some of you will find it helpful. That's the goal.
It's late, so I will post again very soon. Goodnight!
Kristi
