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Pallady
New Member
Joined: 15 May 2020
Posts: 9
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 Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2020 5:51 pm Post subject: Throat Tension in Quiet Upper Register Playing |
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So I just recently played the First Study from Clarke's Technical Studies for the first time and I noticed that when I reached the C above the staff, I could feel my throat tense up as I went up and relax as I went down.
This is something new to me and I'm not sure why this is happening or if this is a "normal thing" or not. If I play a C at normal volume, I don't feel much tension, so I'm not sure why or how I can fix this.
Is there anything I should try to do or keep an eye on to fix while I continue with the study again tomorrow? |
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Lionel
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Joined: 25 Jul 2016
Posts: 783
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| Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:06 pm Post subject: Re: Throat Tension in Quiet Upper Register Playing |
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| Pallady wrote: | So I just recently played the First Study from Clarke's Technical Studies for the first time and I noticed that when I reached the C above the staff, I could feel my throat tense up as I went up and relax as I went down.
This is something new to me and I'm not sure why this is happening or if this is a "normal thing" or not. If I play a C at normal volume, I don't feel much tension, so I'm not sure why or how I can fix this.
Is there anything I should try to do or keep an eye on to fix while I continue with the study again tomorrow? |
Just keep blowing and don't trip on it. I'm a heavy user of Clarke's Technical Studies. Granted that I'm really an advocate for the Stevens system as it's finally delivered all the range that I ever wanted. However I still like to "borrow" from other sources. Clarke being one.
Like take Claude Gordon. His approach is anathema to the Stevens system. The two methods are diametrically opposed to each other in just about every category. However Claude's saying,
"Try not to be too lip conscious"
Does seem to have some appeal even to me. At certain times. And I'd like to apply a form of this advice to your throat situation.
Due to physics it's simply not possible for the small amount of air pressure in your throat to cause you harm while playing in the lower register. It's only in the extreme upper register where some of us get those strange nasty neck puffs. Where our whole throat actually inflates like a durned bullfrog. And you're not there yet. So in the meantime?
I'd recommend that you "not be too throat conscious" and just continue with plenty of air support. Clarke wanted us to emphasize playing these studies with many repetitions on one breath. That and not to force the tone. Its pretty good general advice. A gain, not my favorite program over all but it's helped many.
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"Check me if I'm wrong Sandy but if I kill all the golfers they're gonna lock me up & throw away the key"!
Carl Spackler (aka Bill Murray, 1980). |
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darksmoke
Regular Member
Joined: 27 Apr 2020
Posts: 46
Location: Washington
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| Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2020 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, this is very common from what I'm aware of. The only advice I can really give is to focus more on the air and very little to none on what your physical body is doing in the moment; get into the zone and maintain focus. This is much easier said than done and will require some work of course, but it sounds like you won't be ignorantly carrying another problem into your future playing habits since you are already aware of it at this point- which is very good. Many players have a slew of habits carried over from when they were younger.
Since you say that you don't have tension playing (high?) C normally, but it's present in the context of the specific passage you played, I'd say it's primarily just a case of unfamiliarity and you'll naturally get better with it as you continue throughout Clarke's.
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