Klarinet Archive - Posting 001023.txt from 1997/10

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: bad tone
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 19:22:34 -0400

On Sat, 25 Oct 1997, Fred Jacobowitz wrote:
> You raise a strong, but misguided point. A school band teacher
> must be a jack-of-all-musical-trades. We all know how almost "jacks" are
> not truly expert in all fields. This is not a slam at music teachers. It
> is quite impressive that they can demonstrate some competency on as many
> instruments as they do. I surely can't deal with string instruments.

I must disagree strongly with this statement. Instrumental teachers not
only should understand all the basics associated with sound production on
every instrument in the band, they should also be able to produce a
beautiful tone on the five major groupings: flute, clarinet, trumpet,
trombone, and percussion. Anything less is a measure of poor teaching.

>I think it is admirable that this teacher wants to help enough to go out
> of his way to research the problem and try to get a solution, rather
> than give up and settle for mediocrity, as some (like, it seems, your
> son's teacher) would.. I would be very happy to
> have a teacher with this one's attitude teaching my child's band.

The teacher's interest is admirable......he or she is probably a very fine
person........I wonder if he or she has asked a clarinetist what might be
the problem and worked it out with the student??

> As it happens, this problem is a rare one (in the 15+ years I have
> been teaching I have only come across it two or three times) so it's not
> surprising that he hasn't heard of it or dealt with it.

It is is neither rare nor is it surprising.....it happens all the time. I
taught in three school districts in three different states, and it was the
same problem in all three. I see an enormous amount of this in my current
position.....it is unfortunate, but it is a common occurrence.

> Look at it as a
> doctor consulting with specialist colleagues about a condition he is not
> sure of. Not all doctor's know about every medical condition any more than
> music teachers know all in their field. I think you are being unduly harsh
> on this teacher.

A doctor should know how to make a recommendation regarding a virus, cold,
flu, broken arm, etc. Basic medicine is essential to good
doctoring.....as basic sound production is essential to good teaching.
Black and white issue.

> As for your son making better progress with a private teacher,
> BRAVO. You did the right thing just as you would in sending a child with
> behavior problems to a counselor instead of a GP. Any responsible band
> teacher will tell you that group sectionals in school teach only the
> bare-bones
> basics and that all students should have one-on-one instruction.

I absolutely agree with this statement.

> But don't fault the band instructors for not being experts on particular
> instrument and don't expect a band program to do the job of private
> instruction.

Fault the band instructors for not taking time to understand the basics,
and expect the band program to teach basics - that is their
job....regardless of the demands of the marching band, the pep band, the
fund raising....a good band teacher knows how to solve these kinds of
problems.

Roger Garrett