Klarinet Archive - Posting 000089.txt from 2005/05

From: Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] A splendid experience visitng Himie Voxman
Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 09:35:00 -0400

It is interesting to note that the beginning band method book is pretty
much an invention of the 20th century. I wish I could remember the source
(I think it was in reference to the Klose book), but the argument I've read
is that prior to the 20th century it was all but unthinkable that one would
learn an instrument *and* music at the same time. You learned music through
vocal training or keyboard training (often both) and then, having some
reasonable mastery of music, you learned your instrument.

The Rubank methods, in my opinion, go much too fast for a rank musical
beginner. My own suspicion is that these books represented the changing
times and the authors were assuming a set of musical training in a
beginning instrumentalist that one can no longer assume. I don't think
Rubank goes too fast at all for someone with thorough musical training
which makes it, to this day, a wonderful choice to use when learning an
additional instrument.

Progress, indeed.

-Adam

PS: Clarinet, clarinet, clarinet!

At 08:10 AM 5/5/2005 -0500, Gary Smith wrote:
[...]
>I think the Rubank books are great if you're giving lessons to
>beginners - not so good for self-study, and I could wish that someone
>would take them and update things like the fingering charts to make
>them easier to understand (just show a complete fingering under each
>note), but the approach as to where to start, how to practice crossing
>the break, etc. is spot-on. And you get a lot of practice with a
>fundamental before moving on to the next thing. Finally, especially
>with older beginners, I think the less "cutesy" graphics (or
>non-graphics) is a plus.

[...]

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