Klarinet Archive - Posting 000548.txt from 1996/08

From: "Joie Canada , Jcanada713@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Need help!
Date: Tue, 20 Aug 1996 11:03:37 -0400

I play in various community groups and I once met an old warhorse of a flute
player who had been at the game for fifty years or more and STILL didn't get
it. When he came to sixteenth notes he just blew as hard as he could and
wiggled all his fingers. Don't let this happen to your kid! Other players
may threaten him with bodily harm in later years. I seem to remember that
when I was learning, we stuck to quarter notes for quite a while until we had
some proficiency with tone and basic fingerings, then added eighth notes in
passing--three quarter notes and two eighth notes in a single 4-4 measure,
(one, two, three, 4-and) or (one-and, two, three, four) etc. When this had
become comfortable in all known notes, we added 6-8 time with jigs and
marches and then waltz-caprice type things with 6 eighth notes in each 3/4
measure. Sixteenths were added as a division of eighth notes once the
eighth notes were comfortable. I can't imagine trying to learn to count
eighths and sixteenths without some ease with simpler measures first. It's
hard enough to remember where to put the fingers and when and how hard to
blow on the thing without trying to count micro-parts of the beat at the same
time. Good luck with your student!

Joie