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Clarke Tech Studies are the Best


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Daniel Barenboim
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2016 5:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Clarke Tech Studies are the Best Reply with quote

John Mohan wrote:

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
Webcam Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested


Sound clip or it didn't happen!



DB
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John Mohan
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 9:16 am    Post subject: Re: Clarke Tech Studies are the Best Reply with quote

Daniel Barenboim wrote:
John Mohan wrote:

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
Webcam Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested


Sound clip or it didn't happen!



DB


Muß das denn sein...

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John Mohan
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeff_Purtle wrote:
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.


Claude actually had two versions of the above. At the Brass Camps and any other time his first wife Jenny was present, he'd say, "There are three things a trumpet player can't live without: Good food, love, and Clarke's Technical Studies." But during private lessons or anytime Jenny wasn't there he'd tend to say, "There are two things a trumpet player can't live without: Good food and Clarke's Technical Studies." While he loved Jenny deeply and then after she passed on, he remarried and loved his second wife Patty, too, I always found the way he'd modify that saying depending on the presence of his spouse to be rather amusing.
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Bill Ortiz
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 7:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you JVL :)
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John Mohan
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 27, 2016 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jeff_Purtle wrote:
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


Hi Jeff,

Your post above brings back such wonderful memories! In 1979 when Claude introduced "How You Practice" to me I remember him having me do each bit just (just?) three times before moving back another beat. I wonder if he added another rep between when I started and when you started, or just recognized what a fast learner I was, or conversely...

Cheers,

John
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SMrtn
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 9:39 pm    Post subject: Re: Clarke Tech Studies are the Best Reply with quote

John Mohan wrote:
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
Webcam Lessons Available - Click on the e-mail button below if interested


I think you meant to say 'fret board of a guitar'
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