Klarinet Archive - Posting 000207.txt from 1997/08

From: Tnardin@-----.com
Subj: Re: How young is too young?
Date: Wed, 6 Aug 1997 16:56:03 -0400

In a message dated 97-08-06 09:23:43 EDT, you write:

<< On Tue, 5 Aug 1997, Rob Teitelbaum wrote:
> I'm wondering what all of you think--is 7 years old too young to begin
> playing?

It depends on your brother. First of all, if he's physically large
enough to play the clarinet, and his fingers don't slip into the
tone holes, then there's nothing physical to prevent him from
starting to play. <snip>

***Size of the hands is a big issue. If the pinkies don't reach to the
necessary length, proper hand position is impossible. I was allowed to begin
clarinet in a school band at the age of nine, in 4th grade. My parents had a
clarinet in the closet and since I could get sounds out of it, the 'band
director' (I use this term loosely---he was a violinist) said it would be a
good choice. I couldn't quite reach the B (left hand) key so I just didn't
use it for a couple of years, no one cared. :( (to this day I struggle
with L hand B's)

Now this part more closely relates to the other thread re: band directors who
give erroneous advice... sorry, but I didn't feel like starting another
post.....

I wish I had more memories of what and how I was taught as a beginner (other
than a lot of poor habits that later had to be broken) because of how
frustrated I got when I got to jr. high in a different city. In this school,
we had the obligatory 'chair placement test' and when the band director asked
me to play a chromatic scale 2 octaves from low F, I looked at him like he
was speaking Arabic. I had no idea what 'chromatic', 'octave', were. (this
was exquisitely embarrassing, also) Oh, I could play them, but I was playing
most of the pinky key notes on the left hand only because I had a hard time
reaching with my right pinky. I've always been good at 'sliding ' on these
keys when necessary, as a result.

After a couple of tests, I had passed up the entire section and had reached
1st chair where I remained through the majority of secondary schools and
college. This 'band director' in elementary school did me no favors by
pretending to know how to teach beginning band. It wasn't his choice, most
likely, because of budgets, etc. It didn't harm me for life, but it slowed
my progress. Some kids may be motivated to overcome this problem. Others
will be discouraged and drop out, when it was only the problem of an
inexperienced teacher. Some students who start in 4th or 5th grade may be
motivated, some are not. Those that aren't may become motivated later on, if
they haven't gotten discouraged and dropped out already.

During this 7th grade year, I had a pad fall out. When I showed it to the
director (a baritone player) after class, he said to leave it overnight and
he would fix it for me. (this is in the early 70's). The next day I came in
and he gave me the clarinet and asked me to try it out. I did and it played
pretty well. He shook his head and asked if I was having trouble with any
other notes...I wasn't. He then suggested that I have my folks take it in
for a repad job. It leaked like a sieve. He couldn't imagine how I could
play it. I'd been playing it for 3.5 years and figured it was supposed to be
hard to blow...imagine how easy it was when the repad job was done...?

It just proves that any music ed. school should be adding more than just the
'playing' of the instruments to the curriculum. Adding a bit of instrument
repair (a must if you are in a small rural area, far from a music store)
would be a real asset to any university program. It would have helped me in
my first year as a band director. Just a thought...sorry to be so
long....please forgive.
T Nardin