Klarinet Archive - Posting 000174.txt from 2000/05

From: "Karl Krelove" <kkrelove@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] headache
Date: Wed, 3 May 2000 18:26:43 -0400

Sounds on first impression like a child who just wasn't ready to do this.
There are a couple of things you could check, though.

Is she blowing hard and/or having trouble getting enough breath to last at
least a few notes? If so, the setup may be too resistant for her and/or she
may be hyperventilating. You could experiment with reeds a little, realizing
that a perfectly normal reed/mouthpiece combination for you (or even an
older student) may just be too much for her. Is third grade in Germany the
same age as here (around eight years old)?

Could there be mold on her reed or in her mouthpiece that's causing an
allergic reaction?

Is she getting headaches only during clarinet practice or at other times as
well?

Is she reading music? Eye strain could be a factor if there is some
undiagnosed visual problem. I have found that students who can read normal
print and think (and whose parents think) they see normally can still turn
out to have an acuity problem that only manifests itself when they try to
read music. The distance to a music stand is longer than the distance
considered normal for regular reading. Also, the long stretches of closely
parallel lines (the staff) can cause visual problems in some people. It
might be worth checking with an optometrist (or whoever does eye exams
there). But make sure he/she knows what problem you're trying to track down,
or he/she may not check specifically for intermediate distances.

Good luck.

Karl Krelove

> -----Original Message-----
> From: chr [mailto:chr@-----.de]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2000 2:14 AM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] headache
>
>
> The mother of one of my young students told me today that her
> daughter gets
> headaches whenever she practices the clarinet. This is no joke. She's only
> in the third grade, not that talented but had been enjoying the clarinet
> until she started getting these headaches. The headaches don't go
> away until
> a couple of hours after she has practiced. Does anyone know what might be
> going on here? Is she breathing poorly or is she too strained?
> What should I
> be looking out for? I've never heard of this before. Any suggestions are
> appreciated. Thanks,
> Cindy in Germany
>
>
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