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Re: beginner instruction

Author: allencole
Date: 2003-03-27 16:21

I'm with Katrina on those band books. The new band books such as Standard of Excellence and Accent of Achievement are very well done. They have play-along CDs available which are fantastic if used properly. I usually supplement these with the Master Theory Workbook, and later add Tunes for Clarinet Technic from Belwin's Student Instrumental Course.

How you teach a beginner may need to vary depending on whether the student is enrolled in a school band.

I have recently had much improved results with starting students off playing by ear. If they can negotiate a low F scale, we do a wide variety of things. If we need to go slower, there are a number of 6-note songs that can be done in written C.

We pretty much work this like a game, and students learn to write down their notes (just open noteheads) on real music paper. That way, they can play the rhythms that they really hear (as opposed to simplified) and we save their papers for a later time when they are ready to reverse-engineer the rhythms.

This is a good beginner activity because it gives them some control, provides a real challenge, and allows you to train their ears at a time when they are less likely to be bored by simple songs.

One beginner has just learned to play "Fun Fun Fun till Daddy Takes her T-Bird Away" (1st verse) right along with the Beach Boys recording. It was quite a challenge, but she is fully engaged. Just a few months ago, it was This Old Man, Joy To the World, and Do-Re-Mi. Now she knows five scales and is blasting through her school band music.

While the Rubank Elementary Method is a very thorough book, I think that the true basics can be learned more rapidly and applied in more interesting and rewarding ways. I think that the new band books are written with tremendous wisdom, and even do a good job of addressing some of the clarinet's unique issues.

Main advice - Don't be shy about devising exercises and activities of your own when you see a need that isn't being met. The students themselves will often provide hints--or sometimes show you--routes to more effective motivation and learning.

Allen Cole

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