Klarinet Archive - Posting 000070.txt from 1998/09

From: "Mark A. Bradley" <markb@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Children and Clarinet Playing
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 23:05:29 -0400

GrnShirt@-----.com wrote:

"I've never tried an E flat clarinet, but at music camp everyone said
they were much harder than the B flat. If this is true, then it would
seem
more logical to start playing on the B flat, since young children will
quickly
lose interest in something that they can't play a lot more quickly than
in
something that they can play. "

Based on my experiences with learning an Eb soprano, I would think that
the Eb is much harder for a current Bb player to learn than it is for a
beginner to start on the Eb clarinet. It is harder for a current Bb
player I think because the embouchure is so different. The keys, since
they are closer together, takes a little time to get used to but much
easier than adjusting the embouchure. Your first problem would be
trying to play notes without closing up the reed and mouthpiece.

But for a beginner I don't think it would be as much a problem since
they have nothing to adjust from. Something like the kinder clarinet
that has less resistance than a normal Eb would be perfect for the
really little ones (before 3rd or 4th grade) to start on. The keys
would be easier to get to as well. When i started in 3rd grade I
couldn't reach the right hand F/C key so I learned passages without it.
After coming back to the instrument I then needed to learn how to become
facile with those fingerings as I was working on more complicated
passages. Whether or not using a smaller clarinet would have helped me
with fingering patterns later on I don't know but it sounds like a young
player would have an easier time with a smaller clarinet. And I would
think it would be a little easier to go from an Eb to a Bb (once you can
reach the Bb's keys) than from a Bb to an Eb but I cannot say for sure.

And *finally* in conclusion,

The people music camp probable thought Eb was harder than Bb since they
did not start on it. It is hard to adjust from Bb to Eb embouchure and
to get used to the feel of the keys but I imagine maybe not for a young
player who has no previous experience, and maybe they would have an
easier time developing the proper fingering patterns. Of course only my
opinion in my limited experience...

I hope I clearly made my point. Everyone feel free to pick at it unless
you're tired of this string of posts. Also is there someone on the list
who started on an Eb clarinet who would care to share their opinion?

Mark Bradley
Chazy, NY
markb@-----.com

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