Finger Dexterity Challenge - Week Two!

Unless you've decided to work through a different section of the 417 studies (in case you've already learned the ones in C major), this week we're going to be working on Studies 5-8.

 

  You should have received from me a downloadable PDF of all of Book 1, but if you didn't receive that (maybe you didn't sign up originally) just post below and I'll send it to you!

Objectives for the Week (no surprise here but the objectives remain the same for every week of this challenge!)

1. Watch the lesson above.

2. Practice your four studies using your metronome and maybe using a timer to work through drilled repetitions (set your timer for 5 minutes and do as many repetitions you can, then sit for 30 seconds in silence)

3. Upload a video to your favourite platform (i.e., YouTube or Vimeo) and post it here by Sunday to share your progress

4. Cheer on your fellow clarinetists as they learn their studies! 

26 replies

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    • Head of Clarinet
    • Heather
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi everyone, it's Sunday, and a little bit quiet here...(hello? anyone?) So just suggesting you might make a video today - even if you didn't post last week, it's not too late (and I hope you got a sense of the community from last week!) but I'd obviously love to see our posters from last week two and their progress  (I know you're at ClarinetFest but tagging anyway),  

      • Luke
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Hello yes I have been away but now I'm back and need to practice! :) I will be looking at a few new studies today and will have a video up later. Thanks for the prodding!

    • Luke
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Okay here's what I have! I focused on 7. I take little breaks between the sections because at this tempo I was having trouble finding places to breathe while maintaining the flow of the piece. Also I wanted to make sure each note sounded clean and well defined. I did struggle with that goal during the last section where you're bouncing between open G and the clarion notes. I tend to get little unintended partials - would welcome advice on that. I took this video from the side if that helps analyze!

      • Patricia
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

      very nice to hear it !

      • Head of Clarinet
      • Heather
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Hi Luke! I couldn't figure out how to explain some practice ideas for this in a message so I have made a video, but this might also be useful for  if you are thinking about leaps! 

      • Luke
      • 13 days ago
      • Reported - view

      Thank you! Here is a bit more progress.

    • Patricia
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello Heather, hello everyone this what I could achieve in one week.

    https://youtube.com/shorts/ofEYXwBEm0g?si=ptxBbRuoSk5w9lHm

      • Head of Clarinet
      • Heather
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       This is great Patricia, I like how strong the low notes are - really using those low pitches as the 'trampoline' to hit the high ones!

      • Patricia
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Thank you, Heather, this is made consciously, I find it more beautiful

      • Head of Clarinet
      • Heather
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       and I agree! But it's also good for your clarinet technique :)

    • Patricia
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view
    • Patricia
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    https://youtube.com/shorts/IFt8v-j6d-Q?si=8oCfqznHA9IzPFbl

    High notes are not so beautiful, but I was too tired at the end to try it another time.

    • Patricia
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view
    • Patricia
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hello Heather,  I’ll try to answer your questions of last week. What concerns my fingers I was not aware at all if they were going far away from the clarinet or not. Thd first pieces were easier and I practiced them less than the third and 4th. Perhaps is it why the fingers were less  fluid ?

    Thank you for the tips of courses to watch on tonebase. Because I’m very new for the clarinet here I didn’t had much time to watch a lot. But I began watching the course of Kimberly Cole Luevano about fingers.  The course is very accurate and interesting !

    I think that next week, I perhaps play less pieces and devote more time to watch the rest of the course and try to apply it better while playing. 

    The clarinet being a second instrument for me, this is difficult to find enough time in a day to do everything.

      • Head of Clarinet
      • Heather
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       I really think there is no one better than Kimberly for teaching the fundamental aspects of clarinet playing - so if in the next 6 months you tried to watch all her courses you would gain so much good understanding of the instrument. So much of my teaching is inspired by how she thinks of things!

      But sounds like a good idea to focus on one study next week and otherwise watch some courses. :) I will be very happy to hear what you think of the things you watch! 

    • Patricia
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    What concerns the videos of this week, I apologize because I see that one cannot always good see my fingers.

    I’m interested in your advices about my fingers and my mouth.

    I’m glad to have played these studies this week,  it was a good training for me, even it took me much time. And I didn’t reached a fast speed because there were another things to solve first. I thing this is a very good training for the transition from one eegister to another.

     

    I also wanted to say I find very good your advice of the timer to work and then take a short breath. I find it helps a lot for concentration and for fingers !

      • Head of Clarinet
      • Heather
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Oh I'm glad you like that technique! I am using it all the time now, I find it helps me really focus and I get so much done in short times - so I'm glad you like it as well! 

    • Patricia
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    A short break... (not breath !) ...

    • nancy
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Here's week 2. These were a little trickier for me.

      • Head of Clarinet
      • Heather
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       Yeah, Nancy! Sounding amazing here - have you got your metronome on 16th notes? Maybe worth trying to put it on the main beats only to see if that helps with a bit more flowing feel? But honestly, this is just fantastic work - the speeds are incredible! 

    • Howard_Lewis
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi Heather, Luke and Nancy sound terrific- something for an intermediate player like me to emulate. Also both have great tone. I am a late starter. Can you send me the large PDF please ?

    [email protected]

    Thank You

    Howard Lewis 

    Whitefish ,Montana

      • Head of Clarinet
      • Heather
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       on its way!! And yes, they do sound terrific and are excellent role models :)

    • Howard_Lewis
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi Heather,

    I am having trouble since I joined Nov 2024 of accessing certain areas of website .I have tried many things. Please forward  to Patrick or someone on technical staff.

    I have attached a note.

    Howard Lewis

    Clarinet

    [email protected]

      • Head of Clarinet
      • Heather
      • 2 wk ago
      • Reported - view

       oh no! I'm sorry you've been having that issue - I have forwarded this on to customer support! 

    • Marcelo_Rosa
    • 2 wk ago
    • Reported - view

    Hi @HEATHER!

    With hope you can still consider my submission, I send you week 2 video.

    Sorry for the delay. I am not finding the time or headspace to be more productive, but still trying.

Content aside

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