Klarinet Archive - Posting 000672.txt from 2000/04

From: "Karl Krelove" <kkrelove@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Teaching students with piano experience
Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 11:22:37 -0400

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Patricia Smith [mailto:pattiesmith@-----.net]
> I am interested in the experiences of the private teachers on the list in
> regard to new students who have already had some piano. How much of an
> advantage does this give to the student, in your opinion? I
> began piano at
> six, and clarinet at nine, so I sometimes have to remember that most of my
> students are new to music reading as well as to playing an instrument.

If they've been well-taught and have learned to read music well, it's a
great help. You can move through fingerings and technical skills more
quickly because you don't have to wait for the corollary notation (reading)
skills to sink in. If the student runs into serious snags with any part of
the early levels of technique, you can concentrate on those without being
sidetracked - beyond normal reminding that all kids need - by "counting" or
note recognition issues. You do need to check as you go, by the way, to be
sure notational issues (especially rhythmic ones) really have already been
learned - just because it was taught by the piano teacher doesn't mean it
was necessarily learned. Some concepts like dotted rhythms and syncopes and
many kinds of subdivision are hard for some kids, and your re-teaching them,
if they weren't securely learned the first time around, can be a great help.

> <snip> Also, I am interested in more opinions on how to correct problems
in new
> private students who have learned a lot of bad habits.

One or two at a time. Pick the bad habit that's easiest to fix and ignore
the rest at first. Then start to deal with one or two that are hampering
his/her playing the most. It isn't usually effective just to point out "bad"
habits, hoping that getting rid of them will allow "good" ones to form on
their own. Teach the student "good" habits to substitute for the bad ones.
Don't try to change too much of the student's playing too quickly. Learning
to play an instrument is a long-term project. But most of all, watch the
student constantly for reactions and progress. Don't go faster with
replacing bad habits than the student can keep up with - a frustrated
ex-student is one for whom you will have become irrelevant.

Karl Krelove

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org

   
     Copyright © Woodwind.Org, Inc. All Rights Reserved    Privacy Policy    Contact charette@woodwind.org