 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Eoin McAuley
Date: 2000-06-28 23:31
My niece is interested in taking up the clarinet. She is nearly 11. Is this the right age?
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Author: Todd H.
Date: 2000-06-28 23:47
A very good age to start if she is physically capable of holding the clarinet. Clearly she is "way cool" to have an interest in the clarinet, good going Uncle E.
In my local school district the Instrumental Music Director has always tried to get students started at that age.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-06-28 23:54
This is a very common age to start kids on the clarinet here in the US. An 11 year old would typically be in the 5th grade. Very few school music programs start earlier as kids younger than this often can't manage the instruments. Some school programs start a year later.
If she's not unusually small, she should have no problems.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-06-29 05:25
If her hands are on the wee side, you might try finding a C clarinet. They are a bit smaller than the Bb and more managable tone wise than the little E-fer.
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-06-29 06:03
Other than the student's interest, I think that the most important thing to consider is the opportunity for her to play in a group. I hate to see a student spend more than a year on a band instrument without a band to play in.
A 5th grader should be in good shape here. Since she's probably already played recorder in school, the clarinet should be pretty natural. Hopefully, she'll have an easy time playing some of the songs that she learned on recorder.
On size: I have found that some young girls have difficulty in getting their fingers to seal clarinets with larger tone holes. The Buffet B12 has smaller tone holes and I think that the Vito is also in this category. I've mostly seen this problem on Bundys/Selmers and Blessings.
If a school band situation isn't in the near future: Check with the home schoolers in your area. Where I live, there is a band for home schooled students which should take students who have been playing a year or more.
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Author: M. Brand
Date: 2000-06-29 08:23
Not trying to sound like a boastful parent, but...
My daughter just turned 11 and has been playing the clarinet now for 2.5 years. She plays in the local youth symphony and is the youngest member of our community band. Her progress at this age has been swift and she is playing at a solid intermediate level.
It sure is nice having a duet partner in the house.
To answer your question: 11 is not too young to begin playing the clarinet.
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Author: Eoin
Date: 2000-06-29 12:24
Did your daughter have any problems with her front teeth when she started playing clarinet at the age of 8 or 9? I've heard that pressure on the newly acquired front teeth can cause the teeth to move forward. I've seen it recommended that children shouldn't start clarinet until later on for this reason.
I've also heard the same about trumpet, but in this case, the pressure on the teeth is inward. My eight year old nephew took up drums instead of trumpet for this reason (he has to play something loud!!!).
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-06-29 14:18
Excellent advice and cautions above. I started, years ago, at 10-11, am unsure it caused any of my overbite, too early for orthodonture. I would suggest that our "clarinet-consulters" look for potential future difficulties with long, slender fingers, double-jointed thumbs etc, having seen several instances where I was quite concerned about the possibility of ultimate success. There have been a number of medical-physical studies, believe ICA journal had one recently. Don
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Author: Bonnie
Date: 2000-06-29 16:24
I started playing clarinet at age 9 or 10 (fortunately, I've always had big hands). I have a small mouth, so it would make sense that if the clarinet would cause problems in pushing out the teeth, I would have been a prime candidate. Didn't happen. There's an article on this subject in the most recent "Clarinet" magazine.
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Author: steve
Date: 2000-06-29 18:18
sounds like a good age....but a bigger question is, when should you introduce a child to music? imho, in utero!!!
there are many wonderful ways to get very young children to make the connection between sound, music, movement, AND FUN!!! as much as Barney of NPR drives me nuts, do you notice how much singing and music goes on??? I was taken to my first real symphony concert at age 6 in 1959. I still remember it like yesterday. I don't remember when I discovered music on records....maybe age 3....
have fun, s.
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Author: M. Brand
Date: 2000-06-29 19:45
Did your daughter have any problems with her front teeth when she started playing clarinet at the age of 8 or 9? I've heard that pressure on the newly acquired front teeth can cause the teeth to move forward.
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We had no problems with her teeth associated with clarinet playing. However, I did instruct her not to "bite" on the mouthpiece. Only very light pressure should be applied with the upper teeth. I also placed a soft pad on the mouthpiece, and checked her frequently for too much pressure. I personally believe one should never bite hard on the mouthpiece regardless of age. If a kid is biting hard enough to cause the teeth to move, then something is wrong.
A good teacher is critical to developing good habits for beginners. If you are really concerned, seek the advice of an othodonist. In our community band, my daughter and I happen to play with a pediatric orthodonist who also plays the clarinet. He has never mentioned anything regarding your concern.
Hope this helps.
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Author: Eoin McAuley
Date: 2000-06-30 07:10
Thanks everyone for your advice on this. I'll pass the good news on to my niece.
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Author: DLE
Date: 2000-07-05 10:32
Dee wrote:
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This is a very common age to start kids on the clarinet here in the US. An 11 year old would typically be in the 5th grade. Very few school music programs start earlier as kids younger than this often can't manage the instruments. Some school programs start a year later.
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Dee, I started playing the clarinet when I was 8 years old, here in the UK. At the time, that was the standard age of taking up an instrument in a primary school in my county. However 2 years later this age moved up to 10. Later, I found out that starting the clarinet only had irreprably derranged my front 2 teeth - maybe that had something to do with it.......
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