 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: stevo09
Date: 2010-12-06 14:52
Hello y'all
My name is Stephen. I live in Scotland. I am amarried to Carolyn and we have a beautiful daughter Olivia who is 10. Olivia has just this year started playing Clarinet at school where she gets the standard lessons for 20 minutes a week. I had always hoped that she would be musical and indeed she seems to enjoy it. In addition I myself have had a wee bit of a bad time this summer and autumn with a health scare which has given me pause for thought!! With a lot more time on my hands than ever before i pondered the notion of getting a clarinet myself since I just love the sound and really regret never having had the opportunity to give music a go in my youth. I mentioned this to my wife who has bought me a Buffet B12 for Christmas. Yeeehaa. My question is...Am i too old at 44 to start this? Do you guys think I may be cramping Olivias style? or do you think that this would be a good thing for us to learn together? Perhaps I should get a Sax and we might someday start a combo!!!
Opinions please.
Stevo.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2010-12-06 15:26
!. NO.
2. No.
3. Yes, but you should also take separate lessons, if possiblre.
4. Most people find that clarinet players can add sax later, and more easily than sax players can add clarinet.
You are never to old to learn an instrument. There are a number of people in our concert band whho began playing their instruments well beyond age 60. It is all a wustion of being willing to learn, and putting in the practice time.
Best of luck to you, Stephen, and your daughter!
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-12-06 17:14
Clarinet is one of the easier instruments to pick up late in life, after harmonica and recorder ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif) , but many beginners don't realize the importance of the reed and mouthpiece. If you can't afford a better mouthpiece, at least try several different reeds in the 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 stiffness range. If a reed won't play, don't be afraid to lay it on a sheet of glass and lightly sand behind the tip and on the side shoulders. In other words, you can change the strength of the reed yourself.(Tom Ridenour has some good short vids on YouTube about reeds and mouthpieces, and how to alter them!).
I think playing occasionally with your daughter would be a big help to you both, but don't get too far "out in front"Have Fun!
Clark G. Sherwood
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2010-12-06 17:46
Learn to play it! After a short time you can play duets and have lots of fun playing together.
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Author: RichA
Date: 2010-12-06 20:32
Stevo
I am 67 and with no musical background at all I decided to take up the clarinet 5 years ago. The only background you really need is a strong desire coupled with a good work ethic. This forum is an excellent source of knowledge for many of your questions. Read it daily and also invest in a decent, qualified teacher for weekly lessons.
Good luck and enjoy yourself.
RichA
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Author: stevo09
Date: 2010-12-07 17:25
Thanks to all who replied and indeed I have arranged for a tutuor to come and teach both myself and Olivia. This tutor is a final year student at the Royal Scottish Academy and is a clarinetist and pianist. She sounds just the ticket and...well.....let's just see where it goes from here. I will look into this forum and let you know how I get on. Thanks a lot guys. From Snowy Scotland.
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Author: annev
Date: 2010-12-07 21:00
Hi Steve,
My son and I started playing clarinet at the same time, a few years ago (I was 44 and he was 12). It was his second instrument and my third, but was still the first time either of us played a wind instrument. We share the same teacher, but have different lesson times and play different pieces. At first our teacher wanted to start some friendly rivalry between us, but I objected, because I don't think it's healthy for the parent-child relationship (or the learning process, for that matter). As things have evolved we've become very cooperative in our music learning. Sometimes if I"m struggling he'll have helpful suggestions for me, or vice versa (but we always check to make sure the other person is open for input). We play duets together as well and it's been a real pleasure. So go for it! Listen to eachother (musically and otherwise) and have fun. This bulletin board is also a wonderful resource.
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Author: Pastor Rob
Date: 2010-12-08 03:43
Stephen,
In February this 44 year old also decided to stop regretting not being musical and asked a friend to post an ad online (here in Seoul, Korea where I live) if anyone out there was interested in trading clarinet lessons for English lessons. A wonderful gal with a local cable station's symphany orchestra responded. Now seven months later I am playing in our church orchestra and loving it. I do agree with the sage comments from clark about the mouthpiece. I started with B45 but it doesn't seem to like my Yamaha 52 clarinet. I have switched to a Portnoy P02 with #3 reeds and find it brings out a warm, softer tone and less squeaks
Rob Oetman
Pastor Rob Oetman
Leblanc LL (today)
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Author: stevo09
Date: 2010-12-09 21:00
If ever i had any doubts... you guys have filled me with enthusiasm. Having just recieved my Clarinet today i am only curtailed by my 'other halfs' willingness to listen. Using a buffet12 with a 1 1/2 reed i am getting a decent note. My Face is however in pain. both from feeble attempts at embouchoure and the look on my familiy's face!!. Radiology is easy compared to this!! but I will endevour to persevere. Much love. StevoX
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