Klarinet Archive - Posting 000250.txt from 2003/10

From: Randy Ratzlaff <rratzlaff@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] [clarinet] reeds for beginners?
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 00:46:50 -0400

Yes, it does take a lot of creativity to make mouthpiece/barrel playing
fun for the students. That's what they pay me to do :-) It does give
them a chance to get the embouchures set and the articulation going
without the burden of "wrestling" with the entire clarinet from day
one. In the process I take time to teach them how to assemble (and
disassemble) the clarinet. We work on rhythms......counting and
playing.....and instrument maintenance. Is it tough on the
ears?.........you bet......especially when there are 27 beginner
clarinets in one class.

Yes, our school allows us to have like-instrument classes. We are very
grateful and fortunate for their great interest in music education. I
know it is not like that everywhere.

As I said, it works in my situation. It is a technique I learned from
fellow teachers. It may not work for others......I respect that.

Randy

On Wednesday, October 8, 2003, at 11:20 PM, Sue Raycraft wrote:

> Well, I imagine he makes it fun for them. It seems to
> work for him and his students, so why knock it? There is
> always more than one "right" way to do things anyway. :-)
> Sue
>
>> Sue, If that's the case, that doesn't sound very exciting either for
>> the
>> kids.
>> Christy
>>>
>
>>> I think what he was saying is that he has the kids blow on just the
>>> mouthpiece/barrel as a unit, without the rest of the horn, until they
>>> get used to blowing into it properly.......
>>> Sue
>
>
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