Klarinet Archive - Posting 000138.txt from 2003/06

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Help with a beginner student
Date: Wed, 4 Jun 2003 13:05:28 -0400

Brian, Relax sir! If you've been playing for 25 years I don't think
there's any chance of doing irreparable harm. I usually demonstrate the
basic embouchure formation first without the mouthpiece. I tell them to
form a smile with the bottom lip stretched across the lower teeth and =
when
we try it on the mouthpiece I make sure to tell them the top teeth go on =
the
tip of the mouthpiece. I also tell them not to puff out their cheeks =
and
have them practice in a mirror for this. Most of the time they don't
realize they are doing this. I also explain how the air must go into =
the
horn and if they bite down too hard on the reed they will close off that
passageway and the result will be no sound. Some need more detailed
explanations and demonstration but a sixth grader shouldn't be too hard =
to
explain it to. The goal initially is for them to simply be able to get =
some
sound out of that instrument and once they can do that, they are usually
very self motivated to do things correctly. Therefore, I don't get too
fussy or picky immediately. Keep it simple and simply help him get the
sound going for starters. He may have already done that if he's as =
excited
as he sounds about playing an instrument. I once taught a third grader =
who
just couldn't produce any sound for a month and I tried everything. I =
think
she finally just caught on by herself but it surely was frustrating. =20

Christy Erickson

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Brian Peterson [mailto:brianp@-----.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, June 04, 2003 11:32 AM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] Help with a beginner student
>=20
> Dear All,
>=20
> Please excuse the extremely basic nature of my inquiry.
>=20
> The mother of a sixth grader at the church I attend has asked me to =
spend
> a
> little time with her son this summer teaching him some of the basics =
of
> clarinet, i.e. embouchure, posture, reading notes, etc. before he =
begins
> in
> late August.
>=20
> Although he's gotten the "don't do anything until August" lecture, =
this
> kid
> is Really excited about playing the clarinet and now that the horn, =
reeds,
> mouthpiece have arrived in the mail he can hardly control himself. I
> should
> say that for this young man to be excited about anything is nothing =
short
> of a miracle.
>=20
> I'm embarrassed to say that although I've been playing clarinet for =
over a
> quarter of a century and have helped young students with their music =
from
> time to time, I've never actually had to explain to someone else how =
to
> form
> a correct embouchure. The last thing I want to do is to do =
irreparable
> harm, so I would like to know what those of you who teach tell your =
young,
> beginning students.
>=20
> Thanks so much for your assistance.
>=20
> Brian Peterson
>=20
>=20
>=20
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
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>=20

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