Klarinet Archive - Posting 000034.txt from 1998/09

From: Craig Romanec u <roma1960@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [kl] Children and Clarinet Playing
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 00:20:40 -0400

I think it's very tempting after hearing reports from string and
piano players having started playing at the age of 3 or 4, to want to adopt
this sort of early start with our instrument. I'm wondering, however,
how plausible this is, as a child's lungs might be too underdeveloped to get
that far with a clarinet. A Bb clarinet requires a lot of air. The extra
pressure, though, from an Eb clarinet I'm sure would only further aggravate
the problem. At what typical age do human lungs develop to the point to
begin to be able to accept adult-level tasks?

Anything below this mark would be best spent learning to read
music. And for that a keyboard instrument such as the piano would be a
better choice, providing a visual as well as aural representation of pitch
relationships (up and down) that no other instrument can provide as well.

Craig Romanec
I am roma1960@-----.ca
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On Tue, 1 Sep 1998, Ed Lyons wrote:

>
>
> Any ideas on how young a person can start learning clarinet? Is it a good idea to start a child out on the Eb? or should a parent wait (assuming there is sufficient interest on the child's part) until he or she can handle a Bb?
>
> Excuse me if this has already been a thread on the list.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ed Lyons
>
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