Klarinet Archive - Posting 000583.txt from 2003/10

From: Deidre Calarco <DLeigh@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Starting a youngster
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 10:10:11 -0400

I know that there are people on the list with more experience starting
beginners on the instrument, but I recently gave my old Bundy to the eight
year old daughter of a business associate. I went along with her and her
parents to a music store, and we bought a variety of single reeds, 1 1/2 - =
3
in strength, and a couple of different brands. I showed her how to form a
basic single lip embouchure (that's what I've always used). We tried
different combinations of reeds and mouthpieces, with each of us trying the
combinations and me guiding things a bit. She was able to produce a sound
with many of the different combinations, and I showed her how to play some
notes. We picked out the mouthpiece/reed combination that she sounded best
and felt most comfortable with, and her parents bought her a box of those
reeds and the mouthpiece (I think it was a Debut). By the time we left the
store, she could play an F scale in the lower octave and could sometimes ge=
t
an upper octave B and C out for a C scale, too (quick learner!). I gave he=
r
an elementary method book with a fingering chart and a few words of advice,
the parents promised to start her on private lessons, and I hear she's doin=
g
well. Seems to have worked...

BTW, it can be hard to start your kid on your own instrument. My mom is an
accomplished pianist and she tried to teach me how to play when I was young=
.
It was a total failure. I was used to hearing her practice and would get
frustrated because I couldn't play like her and didn't see how I would ever
be able to. She started trying to teach me at 5 or 6 and gave up pretty
quickly. But, when I started playing clarinet a few years later, I loved
it! I'd play for hours a day just for fun. I had no idea how bad I was :-=
)

Anyway, if the clarinet doesn't work out, why not start her on something
else?

-Deidre

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> I would love the get my 7 year old daughter started playing the clarinet.=
I
> have tried and tried to get her to make a single note/sound but have been
> unsuccessful so far. She is willing to learn, but like any child of this
> age, short attention span and frustration from lack of results quickly ma=
kes
> her loose interest.
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> What can I do to get her to make a sound? What mouthpieces are best for a
> beginner? What reed strength should I start her off with=85.2, 21/2??
>=20
> I know that once I get her to play (even a single) note, she will quickl=
y
> gain enthusiasm and I will have her well on her way to learning the
> clarinet.
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> Thanks in advance,
> Vic Brincat
>=20
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> Vic Brincat
> vicbrincat@-----.com, AOL Instant Messenger ID: vicbrincat58, Yahoo!
> Messenger ID: vicbrincat
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