The Left Hand Dexterity Challenge: Information and Sign Up!
Hi everyone, Heather here 😊
This October in the community we're going to be working on our left hand dexterity. It's really important to spend some time isolating our left hand: it's responsible for control of our throat tones, register key, and is so critical when it comes to getting over the break. And since most of us are right-handed, making our left hand the focus for a month is a great way to build strength, control and yes... dexterity!
I'll be providing some exercises every week and your job is simple: practice a little bit every day and aim to post at least one progress video per week! By signing up you'll be getting helpful reminders (and cheerleading! woo!) from me.
Sign up: September 26-October 5
Challenge runs: October 6-November 2
To sign up, just leave me a quick comment below and I'll make sure you get signed up - alternatively, you can join our tonebase clarinet Whatsapp group for announcements about all our projects, challenges, etc. There's also a general discussion Whatsapp group you can join with the link if you want to chat clarinet casually with other tonebase clarinet members! :)
25 replies
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I will try! It’s a busy few weeks coming up but the accountability is great (as is helpful feedback)!
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and - welcome to the community! If you feel like jumping straight in with one of our monthly challenges, we have one starting next week :) (you can check out the previous ones in the forum if you want to get an idea for how they work - and feel free to join the whatsapp group if you want regular updates and to join in with the community chat!)
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Yes please
joseph Vinetz
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Hi Heather,
Its Howard from Montana. Please sign me up. I am left handed ,so looking forward to this. Please give us desired or reasonable metronome number to shoot for.
Howard Lewis
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Hi Heather! Count me in 🙂
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Please sign me up!
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I would like to try also. I haven't sent any videos yet - but I do watch and participate and hope to send a video as my schedule is opening up a bit
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Where is the sheet music? What from? I cannot find it.
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Count me in please! I Always love the exercises Even though I Never get enough time to practice:)
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Hi, I would like to join!
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Hello and ! Welcome to the clarinet community - if you’d like to join in this challenge on Monday you would be very welcome, just let me know! :)
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I am in. This is my weak spot, it is good to concentrate on it.
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With #1 I am still concentrating on a smooth legato on intervals G-Bb and Gb—Bb, so no metronome. On #2 Im now at 100 (half tempo), I started at 60. Number 3 seems interesting🙂, no metronome yet.
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I've enjoyed the low register challenge and now the left hand one. I am openly admitting (as one who like to progress) a little disappointed at how long it takes me to feel like the metronome is improving with accurate playing. To help me take the pressure off I am viewing these exercises as not just speed improvers but for me improvement in overall mindfulness of the sounds I am creating. I came across an article by music 360 concerning the T-CUP method (Thinking Correctly Under Pressure) and it gives you 5 lots of 3 words to focus in on when playing. I've applied this to the exercises. I do each exercise on a 10 x rep. Te first day I did it I was amazed at just how thinking about the words made me concentrate on my sound. My approach now looks like this and I am less worried about speed increase, but motivated by overall sound improvement and ease around the keys in this area. THis is how I'm approaching each exercise
1 & 2 PLay to familiarise myself with the patterns
3 Playing thinking about the words Breath-connect-sing
4 Words Flow-project-enjoy
5 Words Ground-shape-release
6 Words Focus-resonate-soar
7 Words Centre-listen-express
8 PLay at the last MM speed
9 increase speed
10 consolidate new speed (and yes speeds are improving)
Just thought I'd share :)