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Position:Home>Performing Arts> Should I Do This? Orchestra?Question: Should I Do This!? Orchestra!? there is this community orchestra,and youth orchestra i want to join!.The only Problem is the only instruments i play are the saxes!.
So I want to ask my band director if i can play flute or clarinet for it, but she doesnt like students playing more than one instrument unless (saxes,picc!.,flute,oboe,english horn etc!.!.!.!.)I really want to do this but im afraid my band director will get mad at me!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Welcome to the wide world of doubling, my friend! I have been playing clarinet for 18 years, bari sax for 15!.!.!. When joining an orchestra, there are VERY LIMITED positions for sax players, if any at all- so why should you sit on the sidelines and miss out on the experience!? Not to mention, as you get older, if sax is still your main instrument, you will be EXPECTED to double (clarinet, flute, or both!- maybe some bass clarinet, oboe!.!.!. the list goes on)!. The main reason that your instructor prefers to have people stick to one instrument is because many people have a hard time adapting to different embochures, fingerings, techniques, etc!. When you are young (I'm assuming you're Freshman-ish or younger!?), it is very easy to develop bad habits and very easy to transfer those to other instruments!.!.!. waiting until you are a bit older helps your body to learn the proper techniques and embochure, and build your muscle memory, without confusing it!. While I understand the reasoning behind this, I think that experience is more helpful in the long run!.!.!. you can always unlearn bad habits or rebuild muscle, but you can only play in a youth orchestra when you're young! LOL also, because you are a sax player, it would be a great idea to start learning the basics of doubling, as again, it will eventually be REQUIRED of you!. So yes- absolutely go for it! Enjoy it and learn as much as you can! Here's one piece of advice though- in college I was one of a handful of doublers (had more than one MAIN instrument)!. Many others COULD play other instruments, but not at college level profficiencies!. If you choose to take up the path of the doubler, many times, you will begin to feel mediocre!. You will be a jack of all trades, master of none!. You may practice 6 hours a day (3 on sax, 3 on clarinet)!.!.!. but the clarinet player that keeps stealing your chair is practicing for 6 hours on ONE instrument!. It can be frustrating!.!.!. but in the end it's worth it!. You will get more work and better pay as a professional if you double!.!.!. why hire 3 virtuosic musicians, when you could hire just one that can still pull off the quality expected!? It makes you more versitile, and in my oppinion, a better musician!. For flute players it is often hard for them to pick out a bass line, and for tuba players, sometimes they can't hear the melody!. Why!? Because they are used to listening for themselves and their own sections!.!.!. if you play bari sax and clarinet, guess what you begin to listen for!? Yep- how the parts fit together with both inner AND outer voices!.!.!. *wink!. Sorry about the book, but Good Luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com you should do whatever you feel should like joining the youth orchestra!. if you feel that you can handle two instruments, i wuld say to go for it!. as for your band director, you need to explain to her how you wanted to do this but join anyway despite her saying, "no"!.Www@QuestionHome@Com do it!. if you want to join, you need to make it happen!. let your band director know that orchestra is the reason you want to do this!. she'll probably be okay with it if you explain!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |