Klarinet Archive - Posting 000625.txt from 2004/10

From: "Warren Rosenberg" <wrosenberg47@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] RE: klarinet Digest 22 Oct 2004 08:14:59 -0000 Issue 5597
Date: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 11:24:19 -0400

Adam,
Thanks for trying. I appreciate your efforts to make things simple to
understand. It seems that words are inadequate to express just about
everything including clarinet sound.
I am very curious why someone with a need for money doesn't create a set of
video training expressing their thoughts and demonstrations as what to do
and what not to do, how are reeds prepared, creating the "correct"
embouchure, etc., etc. This must be a business idea for someone. It really
makes no sense to me as we've been living in the age of video and now CD's
for a long time. Yet all this erudition is keeping book publishers in
business which is fine. Can someone tell me why classes on video or CD
aren't being done? How many students of clarinet have been suffering "bad"
instruction when for the price of a lesson or a few, they could purchase a
set of videos by Tony Pay or whoever. This should be a whole industry, no?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Adam Michlin" <amichlin@-----.com>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2004 6:59 AM
Subject: Re: [kl] RE: klarinet Digest 22 Oct 2004 08:14:59 -0000 Issue 5597

> At 01:58 PM 10/22/2004 +0100, Keith wrote:
> > > From: orm1ondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
> >
> > > That is, attributing everything to the reed during an introductory
> > > paragraph is truly short-changing the reader.... isn't it?
> >
> >Absolutely. But it isn't my book!
>
> It is, of course, my book. Someday. Maybe.
>
> This has been both a fascinating and educational experience.
>
> To sum everything up:
>
> Forest has suggested that I am dumbing down what I teach. Forest is a very
> intelligent person and very fine clarinet player, so I have to take his
> thoughts very seriously. It seems to me there is a very big difference
> between making something dumb and something simple. Tony and I recently
had
> a conversation where we agreed that clarinet playing was as simple as
> learning how to stop and start notes. This is true, this is simple, this
is
> not dumb. We both readily appreciate that, as I have said before, the
devil
> is in the details.
>
> It does seem impossible to write a simple explanation of how the clarinet
> produces a tone which would satisfy every scientist/clarinetist on this
> list. I do not and will not strive for such an explanation. I will,
> however, take all the feedback and try to make my explanation better.
>
> What I will not do, however, is start talking about standing waves,
> antipodes, et. all. As such, I suspect you will always be able to pick
> holes in my simplification. But you can also pick holes in the idea that
> the clarinet is just about starting and stopping notes.
>
> For those of you concerned with my spreading misinformation to students I
> would give you a quote to think about:
>
> "Critics have their purposes, and they're supposed to do what they do, but
> sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone
> should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what they did." -
> Duke Ellington
>
> This is not to excuse misinformation, but I would point out that at least
I
> am striving for a real explanation of what is really going on. At least
I'm
> trying to make it simple (not dumb). I don't think the current mousetrap
> works and I'm trying to build a new one. It just doesn't happen overnight.
> I appreciate any and all help, but no one is obligated to assist me.
>
> For anyone who doubts we need a better mousetrap, please go to some local
> band concerts in your area over the holiday season. Look for the clarinet
> students who are playing on moldy and broken reeds (or no reeds). Realize
> most of the clarinet players do not tongue. Consider most students do not
> know there are various strengths of reeds or more than one brand. Look at
> their terrible posture. Realize most of them have never heard the Mozart
> Clarinet Concerto (even in the good programs!). It may be sacrilege to put
> a beat to K622, but I think the real sacrilege is all the kids who never
> *hear* K622. We don't even give them a chance and then we sit around
> complaining about the MTV generation.
>
> The good programs exist, but they are isolated. I suspect partly because
> whenever people try to share their own success they are criticized into
> silence. This is why I desire the criticism of the list, to protect me
from
> much harsher criticism later. What does not kill me, makes me stronger.
>
> I had 7 band directors in 8 years of band in New Jersey and California
> (mostly California) and I was the above student. The one thing I will not
> apologize for is trying to come up with ways to prevent kids from growing
> up with the musical ignorance I grew up with. Oh yeah, I went to a
> performing arts high school.
>
> Thank you for all your time!
>
> -Adam
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org
>
>

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