Klarinet Archive - Posting 000293.txt from 1996/03

From: niethamer@-----.BITNET
Subj: Re: Children on smaller clarinets
Date: Sun, 10 Mar 1996 23:14:13 -0500

*Once* I started a student on Eb clarinet. I was a new teacher, and when
some very enthusiastic parents of a third grader with quite small hands
inquired about the options for immediately beginning lessons, I had the
brainstorm to use the Eb clarinet.

The student did quite well for a year and a half, at which time it was
time to switch to the Bb clarinet (as discussed from the very beginning).
After the switch, she lost interest in the instrument, mostly because she
was no longer the center of attention with her "special" instrument.
Within the year she stopped playing.

Starting on the Eb was not a particular physical problem in terms of
embouchure and tone production. We had a decent student
model Eb with its stock mouthpiece, which was acceptable. The student
produced an average quality tone, and was able to play in tune in band as
well as most students her age. I remember her finger facility being
greatly enhanced by the smaller finger span of the Eb and the lighter
weight.

I've also seen lots of small handed 4th and 5th graders discouraged to
the point of quitting by the large spread of the RH rings on the Bb
clarinet.

As I write this post (some 25 years later) I still have ambivalent
feelings about this experience. But to sum up the experience, physically
the idea worked just fine. The sticking point came in the psychological
switch from being special to being one of the crowd. At age 10-12, that's
a very real concern.

I'm not sure I've shed any light here, but I hope sharing the experience
was helpful.

David Niethamer