 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jmp
Date: 2000-11-08 18:16
I am the mother of an 8 year old boy (almost 9) who is very interested in leaning the clarinet. I have been calling around concerning lessons and so forth and am being told that my some will physically have problems learning the clarinet because he is so young. My question is one - any one here start early and two - how long should I wait - he has talked about this for over a year now. Would love to get some input - Thanks - Jessie
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-11-08 18:51
jmp -
Keep calling. Find a teacher with experience teaching kids.
If your son has small hands/fingers and would have difficulty reaching the keys and covering the open tone holes it might be frustrating at this time. If his hands have the reach, but he finds it hard to cover the holes, you might consider a 'plateau' instrument - the kind with flute-like pad keys. However, most 'average' kids have no more trouble with that than an adult beginner would have.
Fourth grade is not too early - in my opinion. You just need the right teacher.
ron b.
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Author: Todd H.
Date: 2000-11-08 22:01
I think that ron b is right, there are options as far as the clarinet it self goes, even a little clarinet like the Eb, or the one called "kinder clarinet"(I'm not sure about the name) are possibilities. The difficulty may be finding a teacher who can help with an inital "lesson" to basically determine if there really are physical obstacles wehich would be too hard for your son at this point in his life. It would be a real shame for him to get turned off by a bad experience with this, it sounds like he REALLY wants to do it.
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-11-08 23:18
I agree, Todd, that for *some* kids a smaller Eb or C horn might be okay. The Lyons C clarinet is a Sneezy sponsor and Moennig Bros.(Germany) makes a KinderKlarinette(kids clarinet) that's also pitched in C. Personally, I question the value of these. They're both simple Albert systems. Regular(Boehm) eefers are pretty expensive, I think. So many pros and cons.
With your child's year long and genuine interest, Jessie, it seems reasonable to try to encourage and accomodate him (musically) any way you can. Again, I'd recommend you and your son start by consulting a teacher who's good with kids. Most kids by fourth grade do pretty well, for starters, with regular student instruments.
ron b.
oh, p.s. -- an apology for overlooking the first part of your post. i started playing clarinet in fourth grade. i was ten then, having been held back for not being 'socially well adjusted' - meaning, i was terribly shy and withdrawn. i'm still shy and i can't claim to play the horn any better now than i did then. but, i had a lot of fun and interesting times along the way. music brought people into my life and took me to places i would never have experienced otherwise.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-11-08 23:51
There are standard boehm clarinets out there in the key of C, but they are kinda rare in this country. When I was in middle school, our first chair clarinetist was a foreign exchange student from Germany. She played a C clarinet (German made) and was far more advanced than the rest of us as she had been playing it since she was about six. Our band director got out his pen and transposed all of her music for her. He also took advantage of her skills. In competition we played a piece that was a medley of polkas and she soloed the Clarinet Polka. We took first. (Yea!)
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Author: Jenn
Date: 2000-11-09 22:24
I think he could start it now, the regular Bb kind. Most kids where I live start at about age 10, I think a year or two earlier would be ok and he probably will be quite advanced. Don't give up! And talk to local school music teachers, they can usually recommend private instructors
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Author: Mike B.
Date: 2000-11-10 02:41
My daughter started the clarinet at 8 and she is doing very well. Just find a good teacher. When they are young you just need to make sure they develop a proper embouchure. Too much bite could cause problems with the teeth. Other than that, tell him to have fun.
I would not waste time with a small clarinet. Assuming he is normal size, he should be able to play a regular clarinet. A few of the notes may be tough to reach, but its not that big of deal. He should grow completely into it very soon.
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Author: Jodi
Date: 2000-11-10 03:35
I have started kids as early as third grade. Just as long as they can cover the holes, I will teach them.
If you have a college around you, check out if any music majors will give him lessons. As a starving music student myself, I was more than thrilled to get extra money teaching.
~Jodi
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Author: Simon L
Date: 2000-11-10 22:21
I agree with Mike B. My son started learning when he was 8 - he is very small for his age - and he managed fine thanks to a good teacher who did not push him to do what was physically difficult. He could not manage the upper register (thumb too small to cover the "F" hold and the register key as well) but practised the higher notes with something jamming the register key open. He is now 9 1/2 and has just realised he can handle the register key by himself - maybe his hands grew, or maybe he just became more confident with his fingering. He's loving it!
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Author: Bill
Date: 2000-11-10 22:36
I am intrigued by this discussion. It is focused on the fingering aspects, and I can understand this. However, what about the embouchure? Curious.
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Author: mary
Date: 2000-11-12 06:37
I've taught a couple 8 year olds, and one 5-yr old (with a plateau instrument. She studied for 3 years before switching to open holes). I agree that if the kid is excited and attached to the clarinet (otherwise, start them on recorder- it's easier!), there's no reason to wait. It's important to find a teacher who is good at assessing how much a youngster can take in, attention-wise, and who isn't in a hurry to move past elementary stuff to get to notes which are hard for tiny hands. embouchure? nothing older kids don't experience. other than sensitivity to younger arithmetic skills (lack of exposure to fractions), I can't recall any unusual problem I faced teaching very young kids.
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Author: Chloe
Date: 2000-11-12 22:30
I'm only 10 and I started a few weeks ago. It isn't hard except when I rest the clarinet on my thumb too much and the key digs into my fingers it turns my hand purple.
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