I’m playing with our local community band again this season and we’re coming up on our first concert. This is not the first time we’ve played Danzon #2, nor the first time we woodwinds have been told to pretend we’re plucking a stringed instrument.

You know, that gentle, short little ping sound the strings make when they put the bow aside and pluck the strings with a finger tip.

As I practice, trying to make that light sound on my clarinet, the reed and my tongue feeling heavy, I wonder. When was the last time a string player was asked to pretend to be a clarinet?

Aha. Didn’t think so.

Walktober update: So far we have 11 posts collected, with a few more in the works, including mine. Let’s see if we can get them all in by Monday November 6th. Let me know if you need more time than that! 🙂

PS: Enjoy the Danzon Piece, played by an orchestra with strings as it was probably meant to be. At 3:21 you’ll see an example of string plucking. But watch it all, it’s guaranteed to make you smile.