Dr. Linda Bartley

Professor of Clarinet, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Buffet Performing Artist

Practice Points

  1. Stretch
    Warm up your muscles and awaken your senses. Stretches should be slow, gentle and prolonged (held). Stretch your fingers, hands, wrists, arms, shoulders and torso at the very least.

  2. Show up and Settle in
    Make sure you are in the present moment. Be totally present in body, mind and heart; be engaged. Try to leave other concerns outside the practice room. This is your time for yourself. Some slow, deep breathing techniques may help you slow down in the middle of a hectic day, so that you can be aware of the sounds you make as well as your own "heart" of the music.

  3. Breathing
    Do some breathing exercises without the clarinet. Feel an expansion of your lungs and a relaxation in your body as you do them. Let yourself breathe and start your practice session with a clear mind.

  4. Tune in
    I don't mean in the sense of intonation, that comes later. Tune into your heart and know that music is one of your ways to communicate with yourself as well as others. Remind yourself that the clarinet is your voice and the voice of your heart and soul. This will bring you into an artistic attitude, one which will awaken all your music making senses.

  5. The Basics
    Posture. Be at ease with your body. Make sure your posture promotes the best possible breathing and holding positions. There is a natural balance point where your spine is aligned and little effort is needed for breathing and playing.

    Avoid Struggle
    Struggling does not produce music. Keep excess tension out of your entire body and out of your practice.

    Hands and arms
    Use minimal tension. Aim for relaxed control of fingers with minimal motion for maximum efficiency. It is almost impossible to have fluid finger technique if the finger is also bearing weight from tension or improper position.

  6. Allow your musical curiosity room to grow
    Follow your intuition when you practice. What really needs to be done? Berating yourself for making mistakes is fruitless, find another way.

    Now set a Goal for this Practice Session
    Be absolutely specific about what you want to accomplish. Be realistic with your goal. Plan how you are going to reach that goal.

  7. Start your practice session with an open mind and when you are fresh.
    Starting with warm up exercises and technical work allows you to ease into the session making sure everything is working for you technically before imposing other elements onto your technique.

  8. Include in your practice your etudes, repertoire and excerpts.
    You may not do all of them everyday or your may choose certain measures to practice. Think creatively about what you would like to master today.

  9. Use the principles of mastery learning.
    When you practice passages, play them correctly each time. This may mean slowing them way down, but it will yield faster results than playing mistakes at a faster tempo.

  10. At the end of your session, reward yourself by just playing something you enjoy.
    Now put all your good work into pure enjoyment! You have done a good job and are better than you were when you started.

Skills you will need to succeed:

  • Determination
  • Energy
  • Perspective
  • Courage
  • Focus
  • Poise
  • Resilience

These skills will give you peak performance and practice habits.

For more information on these and other ideas, consult the following books:

  • The Art of Practicing by Madeline Bruser
  • Audition Success by Don Greene
  • Fight Your Fear and Win by Don Greene

Send a message to Dr. Bartley

VISIT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON

 

 

These established clarinetists have graciously agreed to share their thoughts on clarinet playing. May their words offer inspiration and insight.

Artists
©Copyrighted 1999 Rose Sperrazza
Phone: (773)442-5902