Klarinet Archive - Posting 000091.txt from 2005/05

From: henderk2@-----.ca
Subj: Re: [kl] A splendid experience visitng Himie Voxman
Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 09:52:29 -0400

I too had the Rubank books as my main "method" book as a student, and I am
happily still using them with my private students.
The "speed" with which they go is a prime asset for a keen student. I find them
appreciative of the escape from the "one note at a time" approach of the band
methods. The opportunities to approach tone, techinque and repertoire all
under one cover is a major advantage.

Anyway, to each his own. It would be interesting though to discover just how
many clarinetists learned to play with minimal instruction using these books
over the years.

Ken Henderson
Truro NS Canada

Quoting Adam Michlin <amichlin@-----.com>:

> 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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