Klarinet Archive - Posting 000851.txt from 2001/10

From: A4ACHESON@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Teaching Overblown Harmonics Isn't New
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 05:22:38 -0400

In a message dated 26/10/01 9:38:58 am, LetsReason@-----.com writes:

<< I believe the child benefits more from learning to

indentify the effects of voicing in making the clarinet speak *before* a

rigid understanding and idea of how the embouchure show feel, look and act. >>

For over twenty years I auditioned over 100 children each year between the
age of 8 and 14 for individual clarinet tuition with very experienced
teachers. These were all children with no previous experience of the
instrument.
One test I used was to reverse the clt. mouthpiece and, with a minimum of
instruction, on the principle that if it ain't broke, don't fix it, ask the
child to blow while I fingered the instrument. Most could manage an in tune
scale in the chalumeau and many, perhaps most, could play the clarion
register up to second line C reasonably in tune.
Here is the question I regularly ask the teachers.
How come, after 3 month's tuition, many are having great difficulty playing
in the clarion register at all, and very few can play acceptably in tune up
to C.
I think Robert Moody's ideas suggest one answer to my question.
Arthur Acheson

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