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Clarke Tech Studies are the Best


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StupidBrassObsession
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 10:54 pm    Post subject: Clarke Tech Studies are the Best Reply with quote

I really love the Clarke technical studies book. They really seem to get the embouchure working efficiently and focus everything. I'm still on the first pass through the book (Slurring Study 7 at the moment) and I'm doing these on the quite side of a comfortable dynamic level which is probably still 'mf', definitely not the indicated 'ppp' yet, but they still are doing some wonderful things for my embouchure.

I sometimes for fun arpeggio up at the end, and easy Double G's/Ab's and A's will just slot in effortlessly.

It's surprising because I'm still no where near the ppp marking, so when I finally get there, I suspect the results will well be worth the effort! At the moment I still find that if I make it much quieter, things start to close off and get a bit tight.

I can definitely see the logic of approaching the studies this way. I think if you went straight for the ppp marking you would end up doing it differently than you play at a normal volume, and so just cause yourself problems. Where as letting the volume lessen over a long period of time probably ensures you're working to gradually make your 'normal playing' embouchure very efficient?

Plus they're good for your fingers and your air control and your tongue level and your brain.

I wonder how many trumpet players have really worked through the book thoroughly? I've only ever hear people doing No. 1 & 2 though!
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acritzer
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 4:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just finished my second time through on the book.
I can't say that I'm consistently getting the full amount of repeats in 1 breath but when everything is working well it's a nice feeling!

I'm not sure what Bruce has planned for me, but would hope/expect to come back to it yet again. Probably need to try and get it softer still.
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trpthrld
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I do a lot of interval variations on #1, key variations on #2 (all 3 minors, whole tone, half-step), and for a whole buncha fun, try Etude #5 in harmonic minor!
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BPL
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 20, 2015 1:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I really love the Clarke technical studies book.


+1

It never gets old, does it. I've been through it a couple of times.. each time with a different focus (Accuracy, Articulation, Velocity, Endurance, etc..) These days, I cherry pick them, and cherry pick the focus, depending on where I feel my chops are at, at the time.

Currently.. I do slurred (to air exhaustion) and tongued, or k-tongued. Also.. I always use the alternate fingerings. Lift the fingers high, slam them down hard

I like the idea of using different scale types.. might give that a go.

Brett
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StupidBrassObsession
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

trpthrld wrote:
I do a lot of interval variations on #1, key variations on #2 (all 3 minors, whole tone, half-step), and for a whole buncha fun, try Etude #5 in harmonic minor!


Once I've made it through 3 times and gotten them really whisper soft I'll start doing it like that. I think Vizzutti must do something similar if you listen to that clinic of his on youtube.
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jiarby
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

on the 1st pass through you are usually still working on key fluency and fingering patterns... just learning them. You may think you know them, but it is just an illusion.

The 2nd time you start working on clarke you may be chasing speed and further technical brilliance. So, you start doing them as quick as possible... with as many repeats as you can. Vizzutti mocks you, so you start doing them in scale modes, minor, whole tone, etc. to make things trickier. You seek out hundreds of variations (de la R. Willey). You do them high and loud and thump your chest like King Kong at your mastery.

A time passes, and you get away from doing Clarke because you think they are "too easy"...

But... after some number of years away from them you eventually come back to the beginning. Full Circle. On the 3rd or 4th trip through the book you REALLY focus on going super slow... and super soft. You are after fluidity and smoothness and transitioning from pitch center to pitch centers. No strain at all. They really sound lyrical and musical now... not like little finger drills at all. Your sound really becomes centered and focused.

NOW you've got it!
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John Mohan
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 7:30 am    Post subject: Re: Clarke Tech Studies are the Best Reply with quote

StupidBrassObsession wrote:
I really love the Clarke technical studies book. They really seem to get the embouchure working efficiently and focus everything. I'm still on the first pass through the book (Slurring Study 7 at the moment) and I'm doing these on the quite side of a comfortable dynamic level which is probably still 'mf', definitely not the indicated 'ppp' yet, but they still are doing some wonderful things for my embouchure.

I sometimes for fun arpeggio up at the end, and easy Double G's/Ab's and A's will just slot in effortlessly.

It's surprising because I'm still no where near the ppp marking, so when I finally get there, I suspect the results will well be worth the effort! At the moment I still find that if I make it much quieter, things start to close off and get a bit tight.

I can definitely see the logic of approaching the studies this way. I think if you went straight for the ppp marking you would end up doing it differently than you play at a normal volume, and so just cause yourself problems. Where as letting the volume lessen over a long period of time probably ensures you're working to gradually make your 'normal playing' embouchure very efficient?

Plus they're good for your fingers and your air control and your tongue level and your brain.

I wonder how many trumpet players have really worked through the book thoroughly? I've only ever hear people doing No. 1 & 2 though!


I have. And a number of my students are currently doing Seven and even Eight. I've taken a few through the book a second time. I hope to take more there.

And yes, when you get to the point where you are ready to, and do them at the whisper volume, you will be amazed at the results. One time, I had plenty of time to kill between the sound check and the concert when I was playing with a Gala band in Germany (Valendras). I went out into the stadium-type seating and made my way through Clarke One super-softly, 16X each. Afterward, I sailed up effortlessly to a nice, easy Double C. It felt like I was just moving up the fret board of a violin.

Cheers,

John Mohan
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oliver king
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 7:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

jiarby wrote:
on the 1st pass through you are usually still working on key fluency and fingering patterns... just learning them. You may think you know them, but it is just an illusion.

The 2nd time you start working on clarke you may be chasing speed and further technical brilliance. So, you start doing them as quick as possible... with as many repeats as you can. Vizzutti mocks you, so you start doing them in scale modes, minor, whole tone, etc. to make things trickier. You seek out hundreds of variations (de la R. Willey). You do them high and loud and thump your chest like King Kong at your mastery.

A time passes, and you get away from doing Clarke because you think they are "too easy"...

But... after some number of years away from them you eventually come back to the beginning. Full Circle. On the 3rd or 4th trip through the book you REALLY focus on going super slow... and super soft. You are after fluidity and smoothness and transitioning from pitch center to pitch centers. No strain at all. They really sound lyrical and musical now... not like little finger drills at all. Your sound really becomes centered and focused.

NOW you've got it!


This!!!!
and That
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EBjazz
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 9:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to play studies 1-8 with etudes every other day when I was studying with Claude.
Didn't actually take that long if you play them fast.

Eb
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StupidBrassObsession
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 9:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

EBjazz wrote:
I used to play studies 1-8 with etudes every other day when I was studying with Claude.
Didn't actually take that long if you play them fast.

Eb


Wowza... How long had you been working on them at this point though?
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EBjazz
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

About 8 years. Still working on them after 40 years too!

Eb
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StupidBrassObsession
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
About 8 years. Still working on them after 40 years too!

Eb


Respect!
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LakeTahoeTrpt
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some things don't change! I still have my original Clarke Technical Studies that I used in 1966. Has my old, long dead trumpet teacher's notes scribbled in it, too. Hardly a day goes by that I don't still use it. It never gets old.
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Bill Ortiz
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 27, 2015 1:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I play through it every day. I find the best results come from not playing them fast, but medium tempo focusing on evenness of tone, volume and attack up and down, every note.
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JVL
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2016 3:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bill Ortiz wrote:
I play through it every day. I find the best results come from not playing them fast, but medium tempo focusing on evenness of tone, volume and attack up and down, every note.


Hello Bill, same for me ! Half of my Clarke session is at circa 70 by note ! And then i finish it faster cleaner as possible.
I ll add that i really like your solos on youtube, especially the one in Santana s Guajira ! Great !
Saludos
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 21, 2016 9:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A lot of experienced players think that there is no magic trumpet exercise - but I disagree. Clarke #1 from the middle out - slurred and tongue each one - quarter note = 70-80. Amazing for range, endurance, sound, efficiency, attack.

On a standard Bb trumpet, 1/2 step is the smallest movement the chops can make in regards to exactly slotting pitches. Smooth, slow chromatic practice, both slurred and tongued, can train your whole playing mechanism so it learns how little movement it takes to go from 1 half step to another. It makes you more and more efficient! Best, Lex
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In 1986 when I was a freshman at California State University Northridge I went to hear Doc Severinsen at the Hollywood Bowl and waited afterward to talk with him. I mentioned Claude and Clarke's Technical Studies. I asked Doc if it were true he played the Clarke book through everyday because Claude was having me do it back then.

Doc said, "You need Clarke's Technical Studies everyday and milk!" It was kind of funny because Claude said something like you need "Clarke's Technical Studies and love" or something like that.

But, after that Doc said he still didn't think he could play the Clarke book. I think what that shows is that great players become more perceptive of the flaws the more they improve. It should keep us humble.

Harry Kim and I were just talking about how practicing is gratifying in and of itself. To learn to love to practice and conquer things is fun. We each progress at different rates. But, the moment we think we don't have room for improvement is when we will begin to fall.

Claude also used to combat this idea of practicing to "maintain." He would stress that you are never maintaining. You are either getting better or worse. You have to keep the pressure on yourself to get better. It's fun though.

Jeff
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

+1

Thanks Jeff:-)
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great stuff ... I 've never had a teacher though I've had a lesson with Bruce Haag and a couple with Matthew Anklan. I attained most all of my skills by playing Systematic Approach just through lesson five. I've yet to play through Clarke once; however, agree with the tremendous value of Clarke Study #1 for range and air control. Right now, I am playing straight through Charles Colins Lip Flexibilities just for fun.
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 2:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Clarke's Technical Studies is multifaceted with what you learn each time through the book. It's like peeling an onion as you get to layers you don't touch on the surface. For example, you can read posts here on TH where people question the value playing something like the one page etude from Study Five in one breath. You don't really appreciate the value until you experience it.

Everything that is in Clarke's Technical Studies is possible for anyone that goes about it properly. All the metronome markings and breath control things can be developed. But, it sort of weeds out the less dedicated people.

Harry and I were talking about Claude's "How You Practice" thing where you start at the end and work back beat by beat four times in a row perfectly. Most people can't take that type of repetition. But, when you experience the results it takes you to another level. Getting trumpet playing to the point that it is automatic and easy is the goal. We do all this tedious work and then it becomes so cool when you just play and all worries are gone. Anyone can learn to do it.

Clarke is an awesome book.
I would say that for every year I studied with Claude we probably spent half of each year in that book and the other time on types of scale and arpeggio work. But, coming back to Clarke was always fresh and challenging.

Jeff
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