Klarinet Archive - Posting 000277.txt from 1996/03

From: Rebecca Brown <z_brownrd@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Small Children-Small Instruments (Was: D clarinet)
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 1996 15:20:20 -0500

On Sun, 10 Mar 1996, Gary Van Cott wrote:

> John Dokler wrote (in part):
>
> > I am considering buying this as a small instrument in case
> > one of my small children shows a interest in learning clarinet. If the
> > string players can start on 1/4 and 1/2 size instruments, why not wind
> > players?
>
> What is the thinking on this by teachers and music educators? I have
> been thinking of starting my daughter (who will be nine this month)
> on clarinet some time in the next 12 months. She is much smaller than
> her older brother who not tall by any means. He started at about 10
> and 1/2 and complained for the first six months about reaching keys
> and the weight of the instrument.
>
> It would make some sense to start her on an Eb. However, I wonder
> what the downside would be when it was time to switch? Finding a
> decent, inexpensive Eb would be a challenge as well.
>
> Gary Van Cott
> Las Vegas, NV
> mccmis@-----.com
>
You may want to consider using a clarinet neck strap for the weight of
the instrument. They are also good for relieving the stress on teh
wrists associated with carpel tunnell or arthritis. There is one called
the Claricord and it is relatively inexpensive. I've been using one to
help correct my hand position when i switched from playing bass clarinet
for ten years to playing clarinet. They are very useful and are becoming
more and more acceptable. I even saw a player in the Dallas Wind
Symphony playing with one! Just a thought!

Also, i would try to staqy away from starting them on the Eb. From my
understanding, the embouchure on Eb is harder than the Bb. As ageneral
rule, the larger the instrument the more forgiving (ex. Bass Clarinet)
and the smaller the instrument the less forgiving (ex. Eb clarinet).

Rebecca Brown
Clarinet Major
Stephen F. Austin St. Univ.
z_brownrd@-----.edu