 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Josh Schultze
Date: 2002-10-18 20:45
Greetings!
I haven't posted on this board for a while; I've been busy with school.
My younger brother who is nine years old wants to start playing a wind instrument: either the clarinet, flute or oboe.
For the past year he has, with my guidance, been fastidiously listening to examples of music with oboe, flute and clarinet. He has tried all three instruments for several week periods and can produce tones on all of them.
To help him make a decision I suggested that he play the instrument with the sound that pleases him the most. He says he loves all three. He says he wants to make his decision based on the repertoire available. He wants to play the instrument that has the most varied and well developed repertoire.
I have to laugh at his level of musical sophistication because most nine year old year kid with this kind of reasoning seem to prefer Eminem.
So of each of the three instruments mentioned, flute, oboe and clarinet, what are the idiomatic repertoires, the gems of the repertoire and the repertoire that is the broadest musically? Do any of these instruments have a repertoire that is vastly larger and more beautiful than the others? For instance, clearly much more music has been written for the violin than for the double bass. Is there such a vast difference between the three wind instruments?
Thanks
Josh
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-10-18 21:22
Hi!
As a player of the oboe, I would suggest that starting on the clarinet or the flute could be a better choice with the addition of the oboe later on. There are more obstacles with the oboe that make it hard to succeed than with the other instruments. The reed is a major problem at a young age while the instrument maintenance is another. A professional teacher would be a must with the oboe as it cannot be self taught or taught by the generic band director. The cost of playing the oboe is also higher. Many young players just do not sound good on the oboe, driving others in the band or orchestra out of their minds with strident, out-of-tune playing. Even with an experienced professional teacher, the oboe is so difficult at a young(or any) age. How good that he has this interest!
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-10-18 21:41
Josh -
The clarinet was invented at the beginning of the classical period, while the flute and oboe go way back, so their repertoire is much larger. Clarinetists can poach on other repertoire, and of course no wind instrument's repertoire compares with the violin or piano.
Still, I've never regretted playing the clarinet (though I envy violinists' ability to talk while playing). You go with the instrument that is most interesting to you.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: LL
Date: 2002-10-18 21:59
My younger brother plays the alto sax, so how 'bout it?
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Author: Pam
Date: 2002-10-19 02:30
If he ultimately wants to learn all of them it would be easier to start with the clarinet and add on other instruments later. Just my opinion.
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Author: Heidi
Date: 2002-10-19 03:23
Hi!
It's really exciting to see someone so young so interested and involved in the process! Bravo to you for being a well informed guide in his decision process!
Anyway, I'm a doubler...I'm a clarinet player by trade, but take flute lessons and can double on saxophone. In my opinion, because I know clarinet so well, it is easier for me to go between other instruments because their fingering systems seem so much easier (based in octaves rather than twelths) and make so much more sense. If he really seems interested in doubling on anything, I would suggest flute next because it focuses on alot of things clarinet doesn't.....air support, vibrato, and it's a very humbling instrument. It's really fun, and doesn't seem to interfere with the clarinet embouchure.
I would definately start on clarinet if I had it to do over again. I feel like I'm a better musician because I did, but it's up to him to decide what sound pleases him the most and which one he identifies with. You must also be aware of the social ramifications...he should be informed about teasing or anything else so childish as might happen in middle or elementary school. I know that shouldn't really be an issue in the matter, but it is a hard time for kids, especially those that are sensitive to things like that.
I hope everything works well and I hope you both enjoy learning together!!:)
Good luck!
Heidi
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2002-10-19 04:12
Ken's reply is right on (as always) but assumes that the interest is in "classical" music (in quotes to denote the style rather than just the period itself.)
If your brother has an interest in jazz, the answer is much different. Then the oboe would be out entirely, and while some great jazz has been done on the flute, it is not really considered a jazz instrument. This leaves the clarinet of course, but sax would also really be necessary.
If anything Wes UNDERSTATES the difficulty of learning the oboe. I've been there, done that, and it wasn't pretty.
If money is any consideration, a pro clarinet starts in about the same range as a decent plastic oboe, the flute is somewhere in the middle. An entry level alto sax (I have Selmer AS300 in mind) is more than double a decent plastic clarinet.
The best to him, he is starting on a great adventure!
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Author: William
Date: 2002-10-19 04:54
Follow Pete Fountains advice (given in The Clarinet to an interviewer asking, "What advice he would have for a person starting out on clarinet?") Pete: "Learn to play the trombone!!"
He was, of course, joking (I think) as there is often such a need for good trombonists (and bassists, as well).
Sorry, could not resist................
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Author: beth
Date: 2002-10-19 11:14
I asked my DD your question, she's an oboe player who started on clarinet and doubles on flute and sax. She said if she had to do over again, she'd start out on flute and then make the jump to oboe. Her reasoning:
She spent 8 months unlearing clarinet habits and re-learning correct oboe ones. She feels that although oboe is a reed instrument, the flute embrouchure and oboe embrouchure have more in common than clarinet does to oboe. Also she saids that flute and oboe fingering have more in common than clarinet does to oboe.
She prefers the oboe over flute and clarinet because she's the only oboe player, at present in our county's public school system. So, her band director buys music that features oboe and the community band plays pieces that features oboe (weve been working off and on on Kunihild) and she's just about guaranteed a spot in All-Shore unless she really screws up. She does say, that she got more "play time" on the clarinet; with the oboe its alot of stop and go kind of stuff. And (this is Mom speaking here) I think you have to have the soul of an exhibionist to play oboe!
Dunno if this helps any!
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