 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-05 17:58
This topic, I know, has come up fairly often and I think it may be beneficial, to some adult beginners and/or teachers of adult beginners, to share a bit of personal recent experience in this area. I’m, by no stretch of anyone’s imagination, a Teacher. I’m a Player who loves to share with other players. I enjoy their successes and try as best I can to ease their frustrations if/when they arise (and if they ask my advice, of course) and promote the fun of making music.
A friend of mine several months ago expressed, it seemed almost “confided”, to me his [secret?] desire to play an instrument even though he has a somewhat limited musical background. He fooled around with his brother’s clarinet years ago but, with no help or encouragement at the time, soon lost interest. When he mentioned his longing a couple of times again, I took him seriously. I offered to loan him an instrument and show him the basics of playing it (again, as it were). He has a “good ear” - likes to sing or hum along to familiar tunes - and understands printed notation pretty well; 'no problem there', I thought. He knows the names of the lines and spaces of treble clef, understands sharps and flats (well, again -- sorta) and has good rhythmic sense. A few weeks ago I loaned him a student instrument, showed him how to assemble it, blow it, tune it etc., suggested long tones to first establish a good sound, and cautioned him about “over-practicing”. He’s been playing about twenty minutes to half an hour almost every day.
He dropped by yesterday, with the instrument, and was eager to show me what he’s been doing. I’m surprised and delighted at his progress. He can play several simple melodies all the way through, has a fairly good sound, not-too-bad fingering/tonguing co-ordination and is eager to learn more. ‘So far, so good’, I thought…
But, he confided... he’s having a very serious problem when it comes to reading and playing from music notation (sheet music). He knows what the note is on paper, what the fingering for that note is on the horn, but getting the two synchronized - so that it’s “automatic” - just isn’t happening. It’s sorta like doing multiplication tables by counting on your fingers – agonizingly slow. From printed image to brain to hand synchronization… it feels like a rush hour freeway traffic jam, very frustrating.
I'm well aware that, for a lot of us Big Kids, childlike patience is not one of our better virtues. As adults, we're expected to take command and get on with it - right away - or feel we've failed, maybe just can't get it, and move on. My friend is very patient. He's also quite eager 
I’m not sure what to suggest at this point. I feel it’s too early to talk about reading phrases rather than individual notes but I’m not sure; maybe not. I suggested that for now he just enjoy playing by ear and not ‘force’ himself to learn to play from printed scores. I’m inclined to get together a little more often and just ‘jam’ with him, play tunes together just for the fun of it – or plink piano chords and let him carry the tune and let note reading occur, if it’s going to, naturally. He knows how to find his starting note. For now, just building on what he already knows I hope is the right approach.
Thanks for listenin’....
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-05-05 19:32
Hey there Ron!
It takes lots of time for the fingerings to become automatic responses to the note on the page. Kids can do this very fast but adults starting music lessons for the first time can take months to become comfortable. I'd suggest your student spend time enjoying the playing by ear he's doing, but also to spend 5 or so minutes a day reading stuff. It'll come eventually. Another approach: he looks at the note and says (out loud) "C" and then fingers it and then plays it. Next step: remove the vocalized step and finally work to just playing the notes. I think only 5 minutes a day will help a lot and if you encourage him to be even more patient (tell him that each success is a REAL success, and not just a small thing!!) he will continue to grow...
Katrina
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Author: coasten1
Date: 2004-05-05 19:47
This may sound stupid, but maybe some music note flash cards might help. It is a single note at a time and it might help with focusing. You could help by turning them over at a set interval and work up the speed over time and have him play the note back. No need to worry about how long to play the note or rhythm, just fingering on the clarinet.
Just a thought.
Post Edited (2004-05-05 19:49)
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Author: Ron Jr.
Date: 2004-05-05 21:08
I spend alot of time with adult beginners and this is the most difficult "Phase" to overcome.
When a student starts learning from scratch the note creation process includes the following:
1.looking at the staff and getting the name of the note.
2. looking at the fingering chart and getting the fingering.
3. Blowing to create the note.
And on to the next note.
This is the most difficult phase because the creation of each note involves this three part process and takes so much that the connection between the notes is lost. Hence it doesn't sound like music at all; just a note, long period of figuring out, and then another note.
Your student doesn't really have it all that bad because he knows the note name on the staff.
I would suggest starting with a book called "A Tune A Day". It's kind of old fashioned but it builds on the notes of the Chalumeau register one at a time. And it isn't a book with kiddie pictures so adults feel comfortable with it. He can add notes once he feels confident (often one new note week). After he has learned 6 notes then he can start over with week one. He'll look at the music he played in his first week and say "Oh these are so easy."
It's important that you have these reviews. Because what what once excruciatingly difficult in week 1 is much easier at week 6.
Good luck,
Ron Jr.
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-05-05 22:04
Ron,
IMO your friend is very fortunate to have you as his mentor/teacher.
Hans
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2004-05-06 16:15
What beginner book do you have him using? If he's using sheet music (songs) only, the problem may be "information overload" from trying to work with too many (new) notes at once. It seems to me that, with practice, we develop a conditioned response to what we see on the page. Rather than looking at a note and thinking, "aha, an F" and selecting the proper fingering, we see the note on the page and immediately implement the fingering without really thinking about the note's name. Advanced players have achieved this level with note combinations (I've often thought there is a good psych dissertation in the different mental processes involved in reading music, playing "by ear" and playing from memory) but beginners probably need to start very simply. As I'm sure you know, most of the good introductory books introduce new notes one-at-a-time, with exercises that focus only on notes the student has worked up to. If he's not working with such a book, he might benefit from backing up and starting there to build the (neural ?) pathways. With children, since every new note is an adventure and an accomplishment, the gradual approach is tolerable. While adults may have less patience (I want it all ... now ), they are perhaps more capable of understanding the importance of a solid foundation.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: chipper
Date: 2004-05-06 17:56
I'm using, "The Standard of Excellence", an elementary school band book.(I'm 49 years old and started lessons September '03) This method book teaches one note at a time but then uses the notes learned to date in a tune. It basically covers them in three groups, low Bb to mid Bb, then goes a little above the break then, the section I'm working on now, the notes below low Bb. It also has scales that you can practice in different keys. (I copied the fingering chart and taped it oppisite the scales for easy reference)
On top of the book and structured lessons I've found some simple music to fool around with. "Summertime", "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", "Unchained Melody", and even "The Erie Canal Song" amongst others. Simple tunes. I've also picked up a book of Beatles tunes for the clarinet, a hymnal from church, a wedding song book. There is much simple music a beginner can occupy himself with for hours and inadvertantly actually gain skill.
I also cary my horn around in the car and sometimes play instead of eating lunch. (the clarinet helps the waistline too?) I sit in the passenger seat and clip the sheet music to the dash.
One night a few weeks ago my 13 year old son told me he liked it when I practiced after bedtime as it was a comforting sound that helped him get to sleep. Nicer than the blare of MY parent's TV, huh?
Have your friend find motivation and learn. It's good for the aging brain.
Peace
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-06 18:16
Thank you, one and all. Your responses make me appreciate each of you, and this bulletin board all the more every day. I never underestimate the value of this BB resourse. I remember the days 'way back when the availability of such voluminous information was beyond anyone's imagination... at least in my little corner of the world.
My friend has been playing notes and tunes that I wrote out from piano score transposed to the Bb instrument key. That's what I meant by "sheet music", notes I penciled on a blank manuscript sheet. Simple large notes. I started him when he took possession of the instrument with easy, one note at a time long tones - open G, then F# - E - D - C - B - A - G. The following session: F - E - D - C - Bb - A - G - F. Somewhere along the way we got acquainted with Eb - C# - Ab. Next time I expect F#/C# to come into play. He knows, and can play Bb to B (the break). The idea of 'long tube, lower pitch - shorter, higher' is such an easy concept, it needed practically no explanation. You can see(or feel, if one were sight impaired)/hear it happening. The next session we played Amazing Grace as a duet (one of his wife's favorites... always a fine incentive) to gain a better sensitivity to, and awareness of, intervals.
While I'm happy at his rapid 'progress' I also feel that maybe we're moving a bit too fast. It's hard to hold a guy back who wants to make up for lost time but, as you say, Jack, we may need to back up and work on the foundational reading skill with a step-by-step method book, explaining more carefully that it will not occur over night. You're absolutely correct too, Kat, that reading practice in shorter (5 minute) doses will probably gain more over time than 'forcing' things. I intend to continue playing by ear with him to keep it fun, because... well, it is
As I mentioned, his wife is quite pleased with his new interest. What better reward could anyone hope for?
- ron b -
Post Edited (2004-05-06 18:27)
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-06 18:32
Hi, Chipper
Thank you for your contributions. I hadn't considered the "aging brain" factor. That's a *Great Motivator* too, for both of us, that I'll be sure to pass along
ron b
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-07 16:11
I just had to share this little piece of information. It was kinda new and if I may describe it this way, profound - to me anyway. I hadn't looked at the music learning process quite this way before.
I'm taking a night class. Most of the students are music teachers learning how to maintain and do emergency repairs to school instruments. I didn't mention my particular situation with my friend; however, the subject came up during coffee break about lessons and playing by ear (the instructor said he wished he'd had some private instruction as a kid, that he might have been a better player if he had [a trumpeter, by the way]). One of the teachers said, "Well, remember, we all learn to talk before we learn to read."
I felt after that very important reminder that my friend and I are maybe doing okay on our present tack. I'll stay with it for a while and see how things go.
Thank you all sincerely for you contributions. What wonderful folks you are
- ron b -
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-05-07 18:02
msroboto,
I just read the first three chapters of the musicalfossils site you posted and thoroughly enjoyed them. They should be required reading for anyone who plans on a teaching career. Thank you very much.
Hardly a day goes by that I don't learn something useful from this BB.
Regards,
Hans
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