Bodybuilder Learns the ‘Hardest’ Song on the Clarinet for the First Time. He Had Results 70 Hours Later: ‘Unhealthy Amount of Willpower’

The best way to get started on something is to take the first step. But even taking the first step can be difficult because of how daunting the task seems to be in concept. Luke (@iukeproof), who’s known to be a bodybuilder, went on a quick journey to learn the clarinet just to prove that anyone can do anything. A few days later, he was already playing one of the “hardest” pieces with the instrument.

“They said the saxophone was too easy. Squidward only settles for greatness,” Luke said in reference to a SpongeBob meme. Squidward, one of the most notable characters in the cartoon, is known for being passionate about playing the clarinet. For the video, Luke embodied Squidward’s dedication to the instrument by picking out the most difficult piece imaginable to play on the clarinet.

He played a clip of a man performing Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The piece was meant to simulate the chaotic and frantic buzzing and flight of the insect. Flight of the Bumblebee is generally viewed by many as a difficult piece to play because of its tempo.

For someone who has no clarinet background, it almost seems like an overwhelming task to undertake. Luke himself understood that this would not be an easy challenge. Nevertheless, he was determined to prove that he can learn the instrument on his own.

The clarinet training arc countdown begins

“Why am I farting from my mouth, dude?” he said at first. Luke was frustrated that he couldn’t even make an appropriate sound from the instrument. As the YouTube video he was watching explained to Luke, he wasn’t blowing the instrument hard enough.

Two hours into the challenge, and he finally was able to play a note.

“The first note I played on the clarinet was from Amy Cook with seven views,” he said. He acknowledged the help of the teacher who posted a YouTube video.

By hour eleven of the challenge, Luke said that he could barely even play the first note of the piece he chose. It’s a higher note, and when Luke tried playing, the note sounded more like that of a “quack” from a duck.

He spent 20 hours, even practicing overnight, just to get the notes right.

“Day two, hour eight—I’m finally cooking,” Luke said. He proved it on camera by playing the first few notes of the piece. Based on how he was finally able to push the notes out, Luke made significant progress—and this was just day two of the challenge.

He continuously practiced up until he reached 65 hours in total.

An orchestral debut

For his orchestral debut, Luke went on the highest rooftop of his city to show off his newly acquired clarinet skills.

“Tonight is the night,” Luke said. He was so hyped that he said he wouldn’t sleep until he was able to play the piece. In total, it took Luke 70 hours to successfully play the instrument. He called the achievement his “best work yet.”

When the clip played, Luke stunned social media users. He was able to play the piece in full, hitting the right notes and tempo from start to finish. For someone without a background in clarinet, it’s a surprising feat. Luke celebrated, shouting on top of the rooftop after his performance.

Social media users have also sent praise his way. One comment called Luke “the most productive human of all time.”

Another one described Luke as someone with an “unhealthy amount of willpower.” Even professional musicians and clarinet players in Luke’s comment section on TikTok were aghast by his performance. Perhaps Luke is a prodigy in his own way—but the point was to show that anyone can do anything they set their mind to. It’s not about talent but how much effort a person is willing to put in to achieve things that seem impossible.

(featured images: iukeproof)

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