Klarinet Archive - Posting 001154.txt from 2003/04
From: "Buckman, Nancy" <nebuckman@-----.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] Final Report on the Legere
Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2003 00:48:10 -0400
>>Is this "narrow-minded"?
>>Forest
Hi Forest,
What is narrow-minded is to consider something "final". I have played =
clarinet for 40 years and have switched from thing to thing in the =
course of those years. I see many of our responders switching too. =
That doesn't sound final to me. It sounds like at the moment. =
Personally, and I do mean "personally", I am not ready to make a final =
determination on Legeres. They are just too new. I have a few that I =
don't like and some that I use constantly. I haven't thrown away cane =
either. I encourage my students to try and to use both. Some like one =
and some like the other and there are some who like both for different =
things. The point is that they are always available without putting a =
label of finality on either. =20
I have a basket of ligatures, and small cabinet of mouthpieces and a box =
with numerous other accessories such as swabs, thumb cushions, lip ease. =
neck straps, commercial and homemade cork grease, mouthpiece patches, =
etc. The kids are welcome to take whatever and use it at no cost to =
them. If they don't like it though, I expect it to be returned unless =
it is something that can't be recycled. =20
I also want to know why they don't like it. There is a notebook that is =
a log of sorts, and when they take something it gets entered. At the =
next lesson, their comment, positive or negative, are entered with their =
name and date of use. At the end of the school year, I go through the =
log and see what they have to say. Some of their comments are then sent =
to the manufacturers to do whatever they wish with. I always hope they =
use the info to improve products or make more of what the kids like. =
Then I restock the units for the coming year and start over. =20
I also have old instruments and a box like a printers box. It is large =
and each square has a drawing of a clarinet key in it. they can take =
instruments apart and lay the keys in the corresponding place in the box =
and line the screws up as they come off the instrument. I have 21 =
students in my studio and only two can take a clarinet apart and put it =
back together again and that is because I have only been teaching them =
for less than 6 weeks. They will know how after about three months =
worth of lessons.
I feel, as an instructor, that I owe it to the students to expose them =
to these things and I owe it to the manufacturers, to encourage new =
development on their part. Learning is very dull without adventure. So =
many of my students come from families who can't afford to experiment. =
I would prefer that their parents spend money on a good quality =
instrument and mouthpiece. I am happy to provide the experience of =
discovery at no extra expense. =20
I don't know of anyone in my area who teaches this way. In fact, I have =
had a band directors call me and tell me that their students shouldn't =
be taking instruments apart. Apparently, one of my students was helping =
to hook a wayward spring on another student's instrument and the band =
director though he was out of line. The more these kids know about =
their instruments and how they work, the better they can care for their =
instruments. Their instruments are treated with respect and we waste =
very little time on lessons held while instruments are in the repair =
shop. Everyone has their apple. Mine happens to be diversity.
Nancy
Nancy E. Buckman, Technical Assistant
School of Health Professions, Wellness and Physical Education
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, MD 21012-1895 USA
Phone 410-777-2316 Fax 410-777-2233
E-mail nebuckman@-----.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
