 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jan B
Date: 2000-12-07 02:00
My son is 10 and just started taking clarinet in school two months ago. Sometimes when he practices he squeaks horribly. Other times, no squeaks.
What is causing this? How can I, as a humble non-clarinet playing mom, help him? He doesn't like to ask the teacher questions during the group lesson at school.
You all seem like experts, I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction. My son hates sports and, in 10 years, the clarinet is the first extracurricular activity he's tried that he actually likes! I'm so happy, but I don't want to see him get this frustrated early on.
Why does the poor kid squeak? Thank you in advance to anyone who can help.
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Author: Cathy
Date: 2000-12-07 02:28
When you're just beginning there are many reasons for squeaking one could be a leaky pad on the instrument or his fingers might not be covering the holes completely(especially if he has small fingers) Or there could be some sort of embouchure problem. I wouldn't worry too much I remember being squeaky when I first started. Hopefully someone else can offer their thoughts on this as well, I'm just a college student and I still let loose with some pretty solid squeaks once in awhile :-) Good Luck -Cathy
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-12-07 02:29
Squeaks are very common for beginners. It takes a while to learn the correct embouchure (mouth position), good air support, and just learning to accurately cover the holes each time. So as a parent, simply support him and let him know he is doing well and this will pass with time.
If you can afford it, private lessons are very helpful in improving the rate of progress.
Sometimes it can be an equipment problem, but if he is fine sometimes and squeaks at others, it is probably just the normal beginner development problems. Just in case though it wouldn't hurt to have a technician check it.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-12-07 02:50
If he does play, at times with no squeaks, then the clarinet itself is probably OK. With out being able to observe, my guess would be either one or more of a few things I've observed my daughter doing. At 17, she still doesn't take the time to put her reed straight on the rails of the mouth piece sometimes. At last rehearsal I looked over and it was sticking almost 1/8" over the tip of the mouth piece. The first step is to slurp up the reed and get it on straight but some players do let some stick over a bit but not much. Another is getting the fingers to cover the holes enough to seal them. This just takes practice, especially with small fingers. Another is trying to play with a dry reed. Some kids never take the reed off and start the next day by blowing on a dry reed thats already on the mouth piece. After a while you can really find some interesting fungi under these reeds too. I use lemon juice and COOL water (never hot) to clean them. Hot water can warp the mouthpiece and ruin it. Another thing I've observed is the "lazy" right hand. If the right hand tends to droop, the side of the hand can be touching and therefore slightly opening a trill key (those long skinny keys along the upper right hand side) and this can cause a good squeek. I confess to being guilty of this sometimes myself when tired. Hopefully I didn't miss anything, but some of the good folks here on sneezy might add to it.
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Author: bob gardner
Date: 2000-12-07 03:17
i agree with willie. My guess would be to check on the placement of the reed. Or it may be the wrong reed. Good place to start.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2000-12-07 04:23
Right on to Willie and Bob. The reed alignment is the most common cause of squeeks. It took my son several years to get it right each time. My advantage was that as a clarinetist I would hear the problem, take the horn, align the reed, and give it back without saying a word to him.
The reed itself can cause problems as it weakens with age, or is chipped. (My son would play on reeds that resembled paint brushes.) Be aware that most teachers start students off with a # 1&1/2 or #2 reed. As his playing improves, he will need stronger reeds to avoid overblowing.
The clarinet (or most other instruments) is not very pleasant to listen to in the hands of a beginner. It might take a year or more before the sounds become pleasant. My teacher in school would always tell us to remind our parents that this is not like buying a record player (OK it was a long time ago!)
Good luck, have patience, and before long you'll enjoy his playing.
Jim
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-12-07 14:20
Jan,
There is a special place in heaven for family of clarinet beginners.
My wife is working her way toward saint hood. The first few months were rough on her and the neighbor'c cat.
It's delightful to see a parent so encouraging. Group involvement will be an added plus to your son.
****
To echo the folks above, it's all about the reed.
A few things to quickly look over:
Is the metal ligature on too tight? It should JUST hold the reed in place.
If you hold the reed up to light, does it appear flat?
Does the tip appear frayed?
Does it get stored in a nice case (like Willie said, leaving them on the mouthpiece promotes premature failure of the reed), or in a safe place?
*****
Reeds are the essential part of the instrument, and the most tempermental.
I strongly recommend the Legere synthetic reed for beginners, as a way to get around the handling problems with real cane.
********
Nothing will ever sound so good as nice cane, but the selection/care/feeding of natural reeds may uneccessarily complicate matters.
A single Legere will cost about $15, but it will last indefinitely. With a 10-year old, how long does a box of reeds last?
Still squeaking by at (almost) 40
anji
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Author: dunya
Date: 2000-12-07 15:01
Hi,
I am also a beginner. (Adult they say.) Mostly when I sqeak it is because I placed my lowerlip too low on the reed.
D.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-12-07 20:25
A million $ worth of advice above, I can still manage an occasional squeek even with 71 years of playing!! When I do minor repair on a student clarinet, I ask the parent to bring along the student so I can assess ability/progress, and make a few suggestions [free of charge, but not to interfere with a teacher!] to help solve problems as I see them. So, ask your repair-person [a cl player] to listen, advise and perhaps demonstrate when picking up the clar, it'll help. Luck, Don
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Author: katfish
Date: 2000-12-07 22:10
It is my observation that many beginners squeek because they get the mouthpiece too far in their mouth.
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-12-08 00:50
Great advice above. One suggestion, not about technique but about attitude . . . . Squeaking is normal for beginners. The squeaks don't mean he's failing. They mean he's working and learning. I think if he hears the squeaks as a learning process, instead of as failure, he'll find them less frustrating. (A kid who gets upset with squeaking and obsessed with not squeaking will soon discover that he can stop the squeaks 100 percent, by not practicing.)
The way to learn to make the sounds he wants to hear is to give himself plenty of opportunities to compare those with the sounds he doesn't want to hear. Then he can analyse the difference in what he does to produce each of these contrasting sounds. It takes a lot of time and a lot of patience to climb over that first steep learning curve. If you can take a matter-of-fact attitude about the squeaking, that will help him. If the squeaks don't bother you, then he won't feel as if he's disappointing you when he knows you can hear him practicing. If he doesn't feel embarrassed and stupid, then it will probably be easier for him to work his way through this normal beginner phase.
Also, squeaks aren't random noises. They're the high harmonics of the notes he's playing. When he learns to play these squeaks on purpose, when he *wants* to play them, he'll be playing in the altissimo range, an advanced skill. When he squeaks, he's proving he *can* play altissimo. It's just a question of learning how to control it.
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Author: Kim L.
Date: 2000-12-08 16:45
Playing an instrument is meant to be fun. Although squeaking may be frustrating in the beginning, it will pass with time and experience. In a few months time, the squeaking may disappear and your son will be all smiles saying look what I can do. So, I'd keep on encouraging him to do what he is doing by saying he is doing great and keep up the good work.
Exposing beginners to such things as embouchure position and breath support could confuse them and make them even more frustrated because it is too much to worry about. A beginner should be more worried about getting the notes out. With this in mind, make sure that your son is covering all the tone holes correctly and he'll be fine.
I am a college junior and a music ed major. All the clarinetists squeak from the first chair to the last chair. We all make mistakes and squeaks just don't go away. As I said, playing an instrument is meant to be fun. From my teachers, I have learned that squeaks are something insignificant and don't really count as a mistake, it is more the technical aspect that count as a mistake. When we squeak, we are merely not using the correct breath support or embouchure position.
Best wishes,
Kim L.
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Author: Bob Curtis
Date: 2000-12-08 18:00
Dear Jan B.
I remember when I was ten years old in 1940 (has it been that long ago?) and started playing the clarinet. My mom and dad used to have me go to either the bathroom or kitchen, close the door, to practice so that they could get some peace and quiet. I, also, had plenty of squeaks. It is just going to happen at this stage, especially if you are ten years old. Luckily, I outlived it and my parents later ejnoyed hearing me play and encouraged me tremendously. This does'n last a lifetime, it just seems like it does for this short period of time.
I have been teaching the instrument for over fifty years, especially beginners, and have noticed that this particular problem is very common and is usually caused by two major problems. (1) the mouthpiece and related problems associated with it, like putting too much of the mouthpiece into the mouth, placement of the reed, bad reed, etc. and (2) the size and placement of the hands, especially the right one. I was blessed with wide, stubby or fat finger tips and they usually covered the holes quite well. If the child has long thin type fingers they will probably have problems when they can't cover the holes of the right (or left) hand correctly, thus leading to squeaks. They will usually outgrow this and continue on to do well if they continue to practice and have the proper guidance in their very early years.
All of the suggestions which have been offered have been very good and, most of all, very practical on the most part. Mom, Dad, and others in the family, stick in there, grit your teeth, and continue to encourage your child, because if you don't they will become disencouraged and then you will really have problems with them losing interest and wanting to quit. A few "nice warm fuzzies" (COMPLIMENTS) go a long way to help anyone through their difficulties. Student - KEEP PLUGGING IN THERE and you will accomplish you dreams if that is your desire.
Best regards,
Bob curtis
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Author: ron b
Date: 2000-12-08 19:00
Hi, Jan !
Please don't get the idea that this board is frequented by a bunch of stuffy 'pros' :[ Just the opposite... most of us are here for the fun of exchanging ideas and information about clarinets and playing them. And, remember, the pros have fun too!
Squeeeaks and Squaaawks are FUN !
Don't discourage them - - - encourage them.
Controlling them, well - *sorta* controlling them, is what playing in the altissimo (very high) register is all about.
To get a positive idea of what 'overtones' can do, your son might be facinated to find out that by closing all the holes, keeping them closed and doing different things with the way you blow (TRYING to make it squeak)... you can make bugle calls!
He'll get the hang of it in a short time, about the time it would take to learn to (basically) play a bugle. While this won't prevent 'regular' squeaks and squawks, they won't seem quite so unfriendly.
...and, he might amaze a friend or two while he's at it 
ron b
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