Practicing Clarke on tuba

[BopEuph]

When working through the Clark studies, the original text says to play through the repeat 8-16 times in one breath.

How do you guys adapt this for tuba practice? In the lower registers, I can barely get through one, maybe one and a half, before needing a breath.

Currently using 2nd study as a part of my daily routine.

[BopEuph]

Yeah, that's what I thought.

I figure twice through would be a technical benefit, but I have to breathe halfway through the 2nd time. So I just gave up this morning and did the etudes once through.

[BopEuph]

Not that the spacing between a player's vibrating lips (playing those exercises two octaves lower) could physically be repeated that many times, but I imagine that Mr. Clarke repeating those exercises (that many times) lightning-fast and whisper-soft.

Yeah. I'm currently doing these at half=90. I doubt I'll get them "lightning fast," but I wasn't happy with the etude at about 120. Some of the keys weren't really there yet. Even at that tempo, the second time through would be just barely.

[Mudman]

I have to pass on a Clarke memory from a trumpet virtuoso. It reminds me of the Arnold Jacobs story about always playing for somebody who might be walking past his practice room. "Fritz Reiner might be outside that door."

This trumpeter would play Clarke studies in his office every day. There was no window on his office door. After decades of playing these, his fingers were trained to move faster than any valved player I've ever heard live or on a recording.

The cool thing to observe, was that random people would stop outside of his studio every day, in awe of the blistering speed. Particularly the chromatic exercise. Holy cow! Even students with no musical background consigned to taking "Intro of Music" would stop outside this man's office and ask "what is that?"

Dunno if this story has a moral. Other than dedicated and mindful practice does lead to mastery.

[swillafew]

I don't think these are as popular as they used to be. Years ago I knew a number of trumpet players will loads of technique. Today, I know some with good tone and nobody is looking to show off any extra technique.