Klarinet Archive - Posting 000373.txt from 1998/02

From: Dodgshun family <dodgshun@-----.nz>
Subj: Re: starting on Eb
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 1998 21:40:35 -0500

At 10:18 AM 6/02/98 -0600, you wrote:
>On Fri, 6 Feb 1998 Cheddar99@-----.com wrote:
>> I think I can be seen as an example. I understand that not all students can
>> switch instruments. But in the case of the student who can play the mozart
>> concerto when in 7th grade, I'm pretty sure that she wil have no trouble
>> learning the sax or oboe or something similar to the clarinet. I was simply
>> trying to prove that you can't generalize and say that you would never, under
>> any circumstances, have a student learn multiple instruments. It is possible,
>> and I'm just using my self as an example. sheesh..
>
>While I appreciate your response and clarification of your age and
>experience, I hope you don't mind if I politely disagree with your opinion
>that my private student will have no trouble learning the sax or oboe or
>something similar to the clarinet. Not only is it difficult enough to
>motivate and encourage students to achieve high standards on one
>instrument, I would not want to see the subtle changes in embouchure and
>hand position, not to mention the horros associated with adjustment of
>articulation (that she is just beginning to prove she can understand and
>execute properly) that would occur with such a change of instruments. She
>might very well move forward on the other instruments, but, in my opinion,
>she would move backward on clarinet.
>
>We all must teach from our own philosophies Karen D.......I hope you don't
>mind if mine is stated generally for all to see. I appreciate your
>response.....as you get older and aquire students of your own (perhaps you
>may already have a few?) you will develop your students with your own
>personal philosophy and pedagogy. Good luck to you.
>
>Roger Garrett
>IWU

I think that changing instruments can be beneficial, but only in some
circumstances. When I was 13, I took a term off clarinet to learn alto sax.
My teacher was only worried by this because he was scared that I might not
want to go back to clarinet!! Now I play baritone sax, alto sax, clarinet,
bass clarinet and (when I can get one) soprano sax. This versatility has
allowed me to play in shows; you'll find that most reed parts for shows call
on players to play several different instruments. For instance, the one I'm
playing in at the moment, "Sweet Charity", calls for reed 1 to play
clarinet, alto sax, flute and piccolo, reed 2 to play clarinet, alto sax,
flute and alto flute, reed 3 to play clarinet, tenor sax, bassoon and oboe,
reed 4 to play clarinet and tenor sax, and reed 5 (me) to play clarinet,
bass clarinet and baritone sax. Most of the other players are professionals
(I'm only just finished school, though I have done some work with the
professional orchestra here in Christchurch) and they find they get a lot
more work playing multiple instruments. I don't find I have embouchure
problems switching from one to the next, and I do have to be exact with my
embouchure on the bass, because this particular bass is such a horrible and
unforgiving instrument. However, I have seen cases where a promising
clarinettist has been wrecked by playing other instruments. I think that
clarinettists do need to learn how to play bass and eefer; to me, it's part
of playing the clarinet.

Anna