 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ella
Date: 2002-08-20 00:46
Do you think there is a minimum age to play clarinet? I know in our district band was not an option until fifth grade, while orchestra started in fourth. My sister wants to walk in my footsteps and play clarinet, but she's only 8. She's been playing piano, and while she enjoys it she seems to be more interested in harp (like our aunt) or clarinet. I know that I have become better in less time throughout my career as a clarinetist than I did ever as a pianist. However, it may have just been my age. Do you think she's too young? If so, what is the appropriate age to begin?
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Author: Michele Von Haugg
Date: 2002-08-20 00:56
I THINK THAT WHEN TO BEGIN STUDY ON THE CLARINET (OR ANY INSTRUMENT) IS REALLY DEPENDANT UPON THE PHYSICAL CAPABILITIES OF THE STUDENT. IF THE STUDENT'S HANDS ARE PARTICULARLY SMALL AND CANNOT CREATE A SEAL ON THE CLARINET, THEN HE/SHE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THE HANDS HAVE GROWN. IF THE STUDENT IS NOT ABLE TO HOLD THE INSTRUMENT COMFORTABLY, THEN STUDY COULD END UP BEING FRUSTRATING AND HE/SHE IS MORE PRONE TO QUIT PLAYING ALL TOGETHER.
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2002-08-20 03:53
4th grade (ages 9-10) seems to be the common time at least here in NJ, though there may well be second graders who are physically ready, and fourth or fifth graders who are not.
There have been many posts here in the past about starting kids on kid specific smaller instruments, or on the e flat, a search should turn up some of this.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-08-20 15:26
I do have a student who began about 8 months ago, at the age of 8. I specifically made sure she was able to cover the holes before agreeing to teach her on a Bb instrument. Additionally, the weight of the instrument continues to be an issue. A neckstrap is invaluable. The Claricord neckstrap is preferable, due to its affordability and elasticity.
Above all, I believe that with any person (young child, teen, adult) the paramount factor in their success is their DESIRE to play the instrument. Of course, if the kid can't reach the keys, they'll have to wait a little until their fingers are long enough.
Katrina
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Author: E. Michael Blake
Date: 2002-08-20 19:02
A while back I read a book called "Raising Musical Kids," by Robert Cutietta (I may have butchered the spelling of the last name), because I am in fact raising a musical kid. About the most surprising thing in the book was his assertion that kids shouldn't be started on trying to play band instruments until about sixth grade. He's a big believer in putting kids in a musical environment pretty much from birth, if not sooner, but maintains that the early learning should focus on listening and, to an extent, singing (with some opportunity to play rudimentary instruments). He generally accepts early starts on piano and violin, because of how long it takes for them to be mastered, but on the whole he believes that kids around 9 years old don't yet have the maturity to keep plugging away if their first attempts to play instruments lead to difficulty or failure, while kids around 11 years old do. He adds that, based on what he's seen, kids who start at 11 generally catch up with kids who started earlier by the time they're all 13 or 14. His concern is that starting a kid too early might turn him or her off for life, while starting them later is more likely to lead to a higher percentage staying with it. Whether he's right I don't know; my own kid may be an outlier, because he took to piano at six, added string bass a couple years ago, hasn't encountered insurmountable obstacles that would turn him away, and may have absolute pitch. But it may be worth it to dig up the book and explore Cutietta's argument in detail.
Cutietta is a musician and educator, and it's probably in his interest to have parents and school systems place a high priority on music education, but he also goes to great pains to try to debunk the "Mozart Effect," which is the belief that bombarding babies (and even the as-yet-unborn) with classical music will make them into math genuises. He points out that this has been picked up fairly uncritically by news outlets, even though it was inferred from two unrelated studies exploring entirely different things, and never asserted by any of the researchers. He notes that school music programs often are at risk when budgets are trimmed, but urges that they be defended because of the merit of music education itself, and not propped by anecdotal misinterpretation of researcxh results.
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Author: Meri
Date: 2002-08-20 20:55
I generally say 9 is the youngest I'll teach a student (and I prefer at least 10 years old), but I will teach an 8 year old if they can hold it comfortably without problems, can fully cover the right hand holes (especially the low G hole), can comfortably handle the distance between holes, and the little fingers can comfortably reach the little finger keys.
That said, I also notice that the students who start when they are a little older (11-12) generally learn more in the same period of lessons than the 9-10 year-olds. It may be partly the way I teach, but I've heard a few other teachers say that their slightly older students often learn very rapidly, sometimes overtaking those who began lessons when they were younger. I find with slightly older students I am able to focus on the musical side of music sooner rather than focussing on their technique and music reading. I know this is often the case with people who learn piano as a second instrument, after learning their first instrument for a few years. One 13-year-old student who I have been teaching for almost 10 months now (from when he was 12), is able to play the 'Carol' from Finzi's Five Bagatelles with a rather mature sense of musical style, in addition to having a great sound and a well-developed rhythmic sense. We started talking about musical style around the sixth month of lessons. With most 9-or 10-year old students, I may be just starting to talk about musical style at 10 months of lessons.
Meri
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Author: Hank
Date: 2002-08-20 21:26
Hi Everyone,
I read the posts about the starting age for instruments and it did not seem like anyone really addressed one of the key issues and that is attention span. All too often, young players don't realize that there is a certain amount of pain (a poor anology but one way to think about the time required in practice) before gain. Let me give you an example.
I played golf with my boss and his 10 year old son yesterday. While the son could hit the ball OK and do a number of shots, the overall concept of the "game" was not evident. All he wanted to do was drive the golf cart!
I think there is a parallel. Make sense?
HRL
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-08-21 04:58
If children want to start playing the clarinet earlier and the size/weight of the instrument is a concern there are alternatives. Peter Lyons, for example:
a) sponsors this BB (doesn't he??)
and
b) makes clarinets for "kids" or "little people"
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-08-21 11:36
diz wrote:
>
> Peter Lyons, for example:
Graham Lyons
> a) sponsors this BB (doesn't he??)
One of the sponsors.
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2002-08-21 12:29
Kids are individuals, there's no minimum age for music, just for the clarinet (hand and finger size). Every child should be exposed to music from infancy and have availability to an instrument, preferably some kind of keyboard. Watch how the young child plays the piano - some will bang on the keys, others will press individual keys and concentrate on the resulting sound. This shows their interest in making music, not just noise.
Some kids will take to it alone, some need gentle but firm persuasion and others won't have anything to do with it. A parent should try teaching them but not forcing them to tears. Some kids will start later than others, beginning to show real interest in their late teens - in that case they benefit because of having been surrounded by music and encouraged through the years. Other kids, you can't stop them from practicing.
The visual concepts of the blacks and whites, the flats and sharps, were ingrained in us by the time we took up another instrument. Our children are the same. They're late starters, but all had piano lessons for a time and now can pick up any instrument of their choice because they can mentally visualize the relationship of notes.
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