Klarinet Archive - Posting 000255.txt from 1998/02

From: Rick Lones <lones@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Starting on E-Flat?
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 04:42:31 -0500

Wow - thanks for all the thoughtful responses. I'd like to explain a couple of points about
where I'm coming from on this:

1) I tend to agree in principle with those who think that 8 is too young. I thought that 5 was
too young for her to start piano, but she was the one who brought it up so her mother and I felt
we should at least look into it. Conclusion after 2 1/2 years: She's serious enough that she's
stayed with it and is willing to practice regularly. Musically I'd rate her progress
"satisfactory": Certainly not untalented, and she obviously enjoys playing, but no kind of
prodigy either. The only reason we'd even consider letting her start clarinet this young is the
same reason we let her start piano - she asked on her own initiative.

2) If she starts the instrument, then quickly tires of it and puts it down, there's no problem
with that as far as we're concerned. Maybe she'd pick it up again when older, better to wait
and see than to force her to continue and risk a lifelong disenchantment with music. There's no
agenda to create a professional musician or to give her a jump on other kids. It would be kind
of neat if she stuck with it - town band would be another thing we could do together - but I can
live just fine with the idea that it may not work out that way.

3) I don't much buy the notion that the most important aspect of student music is the social
one. I don't remember it that way for myself, anyhow.

4) My reference to seeing "cons" about the E-Flat idea had to do with reservations that a
couple of you mentioned, namely whether she would develop persistent intonation problems and/or
have difficulty producing a good tone. As for the sounds that would be emanating from her room
- well, if you have a beginning clarinetist in the house, your dog just has to learn to live
with being jumpy. :) Squeaks will happen no matter what the instrument. I'm inclined to doubt
that E-Flat squawks are that much worse than B-Flat ones. Could be tragically wrong about that,
though.

5) When I was a kid, standard practice was to start the elementary school students in 4th grade
(around age 10). Junior high started at grade 7. I think that's pretty much still true at
least in my locale. So we'd be jumping the gun a bit, not outrageously.

Regards to all,
-rick-