Klarinet Archive - Posting 000397.txt from 1997/04

From: Karl Krelove <kkrelove@-----.com>
Subj: Re: kids, equipment, reeds--when?
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 08:58:34 -0400

At 04:41 PM 4/11/97 -0500, you wrote:
>... (if/when you are teaching private clarinet lessons) when do
>you gets kids on good or decent equipment, such as mouthpiece and
>ligature? parents do not want to invest a lot of money in something that
>they're not sure the kid will stick with. on the other hand, if the kid
>has good equipment, will the kid not like playing more & won't the kid
>practice more and be more interested *in* playing?

Reeds can be the first upgrade, but unless there is a reliable source
locally, you're going to have to supply them. Next, the mouthpiece when the
sound is secure enough for it to make a difference (individual for every
kid) or if the original mouthpiece is so bad that a steady, full, non-airy
tone is not possible from it. If in doubt, let the student try a couple of
your mouthpieces and see if he/she notices any improvement. An instrument
upgrade can be put off for a long time - I've had private students play on
their student instruments through junior high/middle school and I've never
pressed a parent about buying a new clarinet until, again, the playing is
secure enough that it will make a difference (let the kid try your
instrument if you aren't sure). I'd never insist that a new clarinet is a
NECESSITY to any parent - it's a lot of money and not everyone puts their
children's clarinet accomplishments at the top of their list of priorities.
A recently graduated student of mine played in the first clarinet sections
of all the district and regional bands and orchestras she auditioned for
and is now playing first clarinet in a nearby major university's band for
non-music majors (music was never a career choice for her), still on her
original Yamaha student clarinet. It is ESSENTIAL that the instrument be
kept in good mechanical condition.
(The above, again, refers to private students - those who, with their
parents have made the commitment by studying privately to some level of
quality experience beyond what is available at their school).

>also, would it be too much to have a reed discussion/session with
>beginners, such as rotating them, to soak or not soak them, etc? i feel
>that the reeds should be very important to clarinet players, but i don't
>think i was really serious about them when i was a beginner.
Kids (pre and early adolescent) aren't serious about anything except "fun."
That's the way they're made. They don't get serious about quality (maybe
refinement is a better word choice) in anything until adolescence begins to
make them identify more with the adult world they expect to join (I know
I'm gonna get dumped on for this by someone). They mostly want to learn new
skills more than they want to refine old ones. They aren't interested for a
long while in what WE think is (or "should be") important. Most young
students I've ever taught had no interest in tone beyond the basics that I
described in the earlier part of my answer(steady, full, non-airy). They
want to learn fingerings (but no alternates, please, just new notes).
They'll sit still for what we want them to learn about dynamics and rhythms
and notation because these are needed to be able to play in ensembles. In
my experience, they break reeds too quickly for rotation to make much
sense, and they are not patient enough to wait to soak reeds any longer
than the minimum necessary to get them to vibrate. In short, use your
energy to teach them what they seem receptive to, which I think will turn
out to be fingerings and rhythms (and related notation), and don't waste
breath on reed care or selection beyond what is absolutely necessary
because they won't be listening anyway. That said, if one of your students
is exceptional in showing his/her interest in more esoteric things at an
early age (I'm talking basically about kids up to seventh grade), teach
what he/she will attend to. Every kid is different, and no rules-of-thumb
ever ought to be considered inviolable.

>i also talked
>to a band director who is trying to make his clarinet section more
>consistent by putting them all on the same set up.

We've talked here any number of times about the sound and musical approach
coming from the player, not the equipment. The section will not be any more
consistent than the players in it, regardless of their equipment set-up.
Just because everyone is playing on Buffet R13 with vanDoren M13
mouthpieces and Mitchell Lurie #3.5 Premium reeds, etc., etc... isn't gonna
make them all sound or play the same. And the first clarinet section of any
auditioned state band will probably sound equally good whether they've
chosen their own set-ups or are playing (for the sake of demonstration) on
one someone has dictated and supplied.

This has become longer-winded and gone a little farther afield than I meant
it to be. Hope it helps a little.

Karl Krelove