Klarinet Archive - Posting 000654.txt from 1999/11
From: David Glenn <notestaff@-----.de> Subj: Re: [kl] How young to start clarinet? Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 17:49:51 -0500
ShawThings@-----.com wrote:
> Thanks, Avrahm Galper, (15-11-99) for noting the BBC Music mag article on
> Julian Bliss who started clarinet aged FOUR (!) and was "not from a musical
> family" (which in some people's opinions, mightn't preclude possible
> descendency from Sir Arthur Bliss (1891-1975 Master of the Queen's Musik,
> 1953-).
> My own 3-year who fancies himself as a "performer" (=likes an audience) on
> (my) clarinet when he can get hold of it without my noticing. (He can
> actually manage a decent open "g"). Conventional wisdom here (Austyralia) has
> it that you shouldn't start children on brass/wind instruments until they
> have permanent teeth and that the intervening time is better spent learning
> (e.g.) keyboard and music reading skills.
> However, (depending advice which I may receive other from Klarinet listers),
> I'd like to give him a chance to try to learn early, before he gets to school
> and becomes motivated only by peer-group pressure.) This might also resolve
> whether (a) he's genuinely keen to learn or (b) whether it's the show-off
> aspect that's the real attraction. (Presently I suspect (a) is true,
> strongly motivated by (b).
> So, I have two questions:
> (1) How young to start clarinet? - Assuming that a child is really
> interested? (mine's not interested in preliminaries such as learning the
> recorder).
> (2) Where does one obtain a suitable instrument (e.g. "plastic Lyons C
> clarinet with fewer keys but authentic sound" mentioned in the BBC article).
> Any advice on either topic would be welcome.
> Thanks in advance
> Tim Shaw.
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I'm a few days down on my klarinet-e-mails but I see by looking at the subjects
that no one has apparently responded to this.
The problem is, as you suggest, the teeth but also the air, the weight, the
difficulty of handling an instrument, the pointlessness of teaching a
three-year-old to read music, etc, etc.
I think that if you keep your dentist informed, find an easy-blowing mouthpiece,
take a light clarinet like the one you mentioned, don't expect a fantastic tone
and teach him by rote that you might satisfy your little one.
Make sure he doesn't swallow any reeds.
Good luck,
David
P.S. I know an English clarinettist here in Germany who has told me he used small
plastic clarinets with demountable keys. I don't know if these are the Lyons you
mention. Shall I ask him about them? Best to e-mail privately if so unless you're
not in a hurry. I'm so far behind....
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