Klarinet Archive - Posting 000589.txt from 2003/10

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Starting a youngster
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2003 19:09:15 -0400

I would like to chime in on the side of Karl. Little is to be gained by
such an early start. Bad habits, faulty hand positions and mental
immaturity will limit the rate of progress too much. If they can't
succeed then and drop out, they will probably never take it up later,
as they will have considered it a bad experience.

A GREAT alternative is to start on piano. I've NEVER had a beginning
student with piano background have problems. Some of these students
have even started out on bassoon as their first wind instrument
experience, and done exceedingly well.

RB

On Wednesday, October 22, 2003, at 04:47 PM, Karl Krelove wrote:

> I hate to throw a wet blanket on the enthusiasm a couple of other
> responders
> have shown, but my answer is - wait at least a year or (depending on
> her
> size and apparent interest) two.
>
> Just getting a sound is not all there is to playing a clarinet. That
> even
> this basic preliminary is, for any reason, proving difficult suggests
> that
> she just isn't physically ready. I don't have a strong opinion about
> using
> small clarinets with very young children because I've never tried it.
> But,
> though your daughter may be different, 7-year-olds with whom I've had
> experience are not grown enough to cover holes on a full size clarinet
> (or
> any of the other standard orchestral/band wind instruments, which
> don't come
> in tiny sizes the way Suzuki-style string instruments do). Children
> that
> size *can* handle tonettes, melody flutes, even recorders - all of
> which can
> be used to teach and build the basic concept of fingering without the
> complexity, weight or stretch of a full-size clarinet or the muscular
> demands of a reed or standard flute embouchure. My advice would be to
> find
> another less effortful means to teach her the basics of music and let
> the
> clarinet wait until just getting a sound is not a barrier that needs
> surmounting.
>
> My $.02.
>
> Karl Krelove
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vic Brincat [mailto:vbrincat@-----.com]
>>
>> I would love the get my 7 year old daughter started playing the
>> clarinet.
>>
>> What can I do to get her to make a sound?
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org