 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: blokecalledpaul-drums-clarinet
Date: 2007-02-01 18:27
Hi im Paul. im originally from Newcastle but now live in Darlington. I have played drums for about 15 years (with a 7 year break in there). Recently i bought a b flat clarinet because i love the sound. So i read up on a few web sites about how to get a note out of it. So i got that nice warm tone after a few tries with a few squeaks thrown in. Now i have had it for 5 nights and can pretty much play a clear C, D and E. And a few other notes that i couldn’t identify.
I have just started to learn how to read although some of the symbols are familiar. I don’t play the piano but im also practicing some stuff on the daughter’s keyboard.
Ok so i called up a local clarinet teacher and she's going to give me 30mins for £12. She was nice on the phone and instantly seemed to understand what i was after so we'll see how that goes as i got my first lesson next week.
So the question is how much time do i need to be spending playing the clarinet and how should I learn to sight-read? On the clarinet? Keyboard or both?
Anyone recommend a book given my experience level?
And does anyone know what the cure is for being addicted to Charles Mingus?
Any info would be great thanks.
Cheers
Paul
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off ![[up]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley24.gif)
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-02-01 18:46
Cure for Mingus? Take up double bass!
Hi Paul, best start learning with a teacher so she can sort out your chops, and assign you stuff to work on. It's best that you use the books she recommends, and as for practicing, practice for around 30 mins to an hour a day depending on how much time you can spend, but obviously it pays to do as much as you can when you can.
Sight reading on the clarinet is probably better if that's the instrument you want to learn on, but leave it a while until you're more familiar with reading music and have learnt a larger range on the clarinet.
But chips and clarinets don't mix, you don't want to get grease and vinegar on them.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
|
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2007-02-01 20:44
Welcome, Paul! I realize it's just a figure of speech, but you would be well advised to not use the word 'crack' on this BB, as it strikes terror into the hearts of the many Buffet clarinet players here. (Doesn't bother me personally, I don't play Buffets, instead I enjoy them occasionally at lunchtime at local restaurants.)
Now I wonder if a person could oil the bore of a clarinet with the residue of fish 'n' chips?
|
|
|
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2007-02-02 02:56
[ Let's try and keep the responses on topic, please - GBK ]
|
|
|
|
|
Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-02-02 04:00
kinda hard to stay on topic as the title is off the true topic. =) who uses crack in a sentence? just saying.
Tips for learning. Grab a practice book and just study the back of the book. Focus on starting from the bottom and working your way up. Finger the lowest note E, memorize then go back to open G. Finger the next note then back to open G and so forth. this serves as a point of reference so you know that even if you can't get the right fingering the first time, you will confidence and familiarity with each note. focus on the fingerings first then spend more time on working up an embrochure. if you spend too much time trying to get the sound, you'll miss out on your fundamentals.
good luck! I sat down with the clarinet for about 2 weeks spending about 4 hours a day just memorizing and understanding note to note then built up my embrochure. i caught up to the highschool playing level soon after. (transitioned from violin)
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
|
|
|
|
|
Author: blokecalledpaul-drums-clarinet
Date: 2007-02-02 05:13
Ha Ha all good words. 'Crack' is a local word as in England they would call me a 'Geordie'. This title is given to all people from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Crack means 'whats goin' on' or 'whats the info'.
Cheers
Paul
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Bartleby
Date: 2007-02-02 08:29
A teacher would put you on the right track; but after a while I would recommend Paul Harvey's "Clarinet Workbook". I never had a teacher, and this book has really helped to iron out all the "bad habits" I developed. As for a cure for Mingus, reading his autobiography eased my addiction quite alot.
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Bill
Date: 2007-02-02 10:19
Reading this reminds me of my first experiences (at age 33) with the clarinet.
I think the clarinet is a relationship that you develop and sustain, and I think growth on the instrument has to be as much about how you feel when you're playing as it is about strictly technical work. It's like a new dog. There's leash training and vaccinations, but there's also taking it out for long walks or just watchng how it behaves. Some people begin a playing session with scales, or "long tones," etc. Most often, after I've found a good reed (always keep a selection of active reeds), I simply improvise, trying to impose the sounds and patterns in my head onto the instrument. It's a two-way street. You're finding out what you can do. And if you listen to good players, sounds get into your head, or different types of articulations, that become persistent goals ... dreams that you harbor for your own playing.
Good luck ... and enjoy!
Bill.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-02-02 10:48
... Still wondering why my ISP location doesn't say Chichester! Yeah, another 'Southern Softie'.
And don't use reeds that are too strong too soon - build up your chops and master the basics before moving on, it's the same with everything, know your limits.
I'm not sure what kind of playing you're interested in, but do listen to recordings of clarinettists for inspiration and this will help you develop the tone you want and give you something to aspire to.
Jack Brymer is from your part of the world (South Shields) and had a unique sound - it may sound old fashioned to a lot of people, but his playing sounds effortless and relaxed.
Though do listen to other 'Classical' clarinettists like Michael Collins, Sabine Meyer, Tony Pay, Robert Plane, David Schiffrin, etc. as it's best to get a grasp of what the clarinet sounds like in Classical music - if you want to go onto Jazz, get your tone and technique sorted out first, then once you're able to get around it more fluently you can always find Jazz workshops and evening classes taken by Jazz tutors where you will get the opportunity to play in groups of people all in the same boat.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
|
|
|
Author: blokecalledpaul-drums-clarinet
Date: 2007-02-02 11:35
I like the way some of you guys think.
I'm 32 and my first taste of music was from my mum and it was from russian and german clasical to don mcclean and Dianna Ross. I then hooked onto my sisters taste at the age of 9 which was bands like Yello, Clannad, Sam Brown and Bon Jovi. The rock lead to Led Zeppelin, Puple, Sabbath and every other style of metal you can think of. Then crossed into Hip Hop. This led to jazz. On top of this i love many different bands and styles too many to mention.
From all this i am able to draw inspiration. I also draw inspiration from the Yorkshire Dales and The Lakes as i live not too far away.
Time is my only enemy.
Busy family life so i get what i can done when i can. Best thing is that my 11 year old daughter is quite musical so i enjoy teaching her the drums.
I know i need to take things styeady with the clarinet and i am looking forward to the challenge.
Keep that advice comming!
Paul
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-02-02 12:13
I'm 34 and a returning player after about 15 or so years of not playing clarinet, though my main instrument is sax which I've played in big bands continuously since I was 15. Even though I hardly ever listen to Jazz I can appreciate what they do, I like mostly Baroque and Romantic music, as well as new Romantic, Electro, Goth, Indie, Metal, Ska/2-Tone (I saw Bad Manners in late December - bloody brilliant they were!).
I stopped playing clarinet just as I was about to do my performance diploma as lack of funding put a stop to that, and continued with woodwind repair as I had little faith in the other local repairers whos work was not to my liking, and I'd rather work on my own instruments myself than let someone else bugger them up.
So now I'm still mainly doing big band playing, orchestras, wind quintets, concert bands and just last year I joined the Royal Navy volunteer band in Portsmouth so I've had to do marching bands with them as well.
Do you read drum charts? That's always a bonus if you want to get into big bands.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
|
|
|
Author: blokecalledpaul-drums-clarinet
Date: 2007-02-02 17:10
Drum charts? ie. Drum music? Just a little.
Otherwise rudes are pretty good and lately when i play on my own i normally jam out some funk and jazz. Im playing for a band called Black Box Theory at the moment and its kind of alternative rock.
So Chris i have heard some say that if you play well on the clarinet you can play a bit on the sax. What say you?
paul
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-02-02 17:43
There's nothing stopping you doing sax at any time, even though the two instruments are different there's no real need to learn one before the other even if some people say 'learn the clarinet before sax' - but if you want to add sax to your lineup at any point there's no reason why not.
I did sax before clarinet, but always find a good teacher on any instrument you learn. I was lucky that I found good teachers that were specialists on the various instruments I took up.
My first sax teacher was from Geordieland and as I was the only sax pupil of his at school, he used to play my sax more than I did during lessons as all the other kids did flute and clarinet, so I suppose he was glad to be playing an instrument he enjoyed more than the others, even though he was a dab hand at them all.
But the biggest learning curve was joining a big band that rehearsed in a pub function room - I had to keep up with the speed of the music, placing the dots in the right place and also play in a sax section and be part of that section which I'd never done before.
If anything, sax is easier in some respects, then again clarinet is also easier in some other respects - it's swings and roundabouts. But I can certainly find my way around a sax much easier than any other instrument I play.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
|
|
|
Author: blokecalledpaul-drums-clarinet
Date: 2007-02-02 19:13
Im not sure how long i will need to be playing for and how good im going to need to be able to read before i could play clarinet in a band!?
See what im like after a year.
paul
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Detru Cofidin
Date: 2007-02-03 05:21
Indeed I was terrified when I saw "crack".
Nicholas Arend
|
|
|
|
|
Author: D
Date: 2007-02-03 15:55
Find the right band and you could go next week!
What you need is a music workshop which is open to players of all ages and ability and has different groups with a variety of levels and styles. Even if you spend the first term at the back trying to follow the music and just honking your E, D, C in the right places you'll probably still have a lot of fun. I go to one such group in East Anglia - bit of a long drive down the A1 I'm afraid.
You could try asking around at a few local music shops - if there is anything like this around they probably know about it.
People have this perception that adult learners are an oddity...well I think the adults where I was this morning probably out number the children by about 4 to 1, and in a group of about 300 people that is an awful lot of adult learners!
Whatever type of music you want to do you can't go wrong with learning your scales, or at least have a good handle on the keys we spend a lot of time in. A copy of ASRBM scales is not expensive, and you can probably find for practically nothing in a large charity shop. Speaking of which - charity shops, libraries and sometimes markets are great places for picking up second hand music dirt cheap.
Libraries also seem to have lots of those music books which come with CDs. Personally I think these cost quite a lot new and get dull quickly. But renting them from the library may be just the thing to help you get used to playing the clarinet with others. Your probably used to this with drums and therefore miles ahead of someone who has always played on your own. But it is also a good way of playing something a bit more interesting while you are still on the limited side with the number of notes you can play. I have one which has the James Bond Theme on, and it is all rolling around on the first finger left hand. Start with G (no fingers at all - or the the first three right hand fingers might make it sound better) then role your index finger onto the funny shaped key for the A (you can keep the right hand down) and then back down to the G. Then a Bb which is the same as the A but with the thumb on the speaker key as well as your index finger on the A.
GAAAAGGGGBBBBAAAGAAAAGGGGBBBBAAA. If you can work out the bit I mean then the rhythm should come pretty easy. It's a nice way to practice getting that role to the A. With the CD it becomes little more tolerable!
Anyway, have lots of fun.
Oh, and I rather enjoyed your use of the work 'crack'. I lived in Northumbria a while ago. A flat mate was very offended that all the women in shops kept calling her 'flower'. Where she grew up that meant prostitute!
p.s. should I add that a flat mate is someone I shared a single floor dwelling with, not someone very very thin...............
|
|
|
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-02-03 16:11
D,
...I thought you referred to his/her [flat mate's] throat tones. Gosh what an innocent spirit I am.
--
Ben
|
|
|
|
|
Author: D
Date: 2007-02-03 16:24
tictactux, we're gonna get kicked off - and I was trying so hard to be good!
|
|
|
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-02-03 16:33
> tictactux, we're gonna get kicked off
No, we're not. Clarinetists have, unlike their public image, a good sense of humour.
--
Ben
|
|
|
|
|
Author: blokecalledpaul-drums-clarinet
Date: 2007-02-03 17:11
Ha Ha Ha Flower? Prostitute? Ha Ha Ha thats what i call the wife now and again! (Flower, not Prostitute) I wonder what would happen if they called her Pet? (i'm thinking dogs and stuff he he).
Yeah i can now play a scale, bottom A up and down. I will look at middle A up and down next. Just trying stuff out before my first lesson this Tuesday.
I also popped into www.georgegladstone.co.uk for the first time as this is my local shop. Bloke seemed ok sort of hedging to let me know he passed out at kings college. I passed out at Brinkburn Comprehensive School in South Shields but i didnt tell him that. So instead i picked up a cloth with a weight on one end and cork grease (looks like chapstick tho).
Do you guys have any local slang which could be a bit sketchy?
p
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off
|
|
|
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-02-03 17:18
> cork grease (looks like chapstick tho).
OMG! Just don't not confuse it with the missus'! Red corks can be embarrassing.
--
Ben
|
|
|
|
|
Author: blokecalledpaul-drums-clarinet
Date: 2007-02-03 17:22
Thin flat mate ha ha ha lol. just read it again lol
p
If the world didnt suck we would all fall off
|
|
|
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
