 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-06-25 05:27
***Edit: thanks for all the suggestions. I've recorded her progress in a new post at the end.****
My 8 year old granddaughter will be visiting for a month, and she wants to learn to play the clarinet. So we have talked about having "clarinet school" while she is here. I have the Essential Elements 2000 series for teaching aids. I will also be looking over the suggestions in Pino's book on how to teach the clarinet.
For equipment I have my old student Normandy Resotone which has been restored to very good playable condition. But I have a question on mouthpieces and reed strength. I picked up a Hite Premier, but noticed it recommends using a size 3 reed. I would be interested in hearing how softer reeds work on this mouthpiece, and which reed I should have my granddaughter start on. (I have been thinking that a 1.5 or 2 would be suitable.). I am also having second thoughts about starting her immediately on the Hite. I am considering getting a Fobes Debut, and have the same question about reed strengths for a beginner on that mouthpiece.
Also, should I start her on an inverted ligature? I have a Luyben plastic model on order, but I also have a few others that could be tried (Bonade, Rico H style, Rovner Dark).
Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
Post Edited (2012-08-22 00:13)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-06-25 08:50
Both the Fobes Debut and the Hite Premier will work perfectly well on a 1.5 or even a 1 if you can find them.
With regard to the ligature, consider that it will need to be manageable by 8-year-old fingers, so the Rovner might be a better choice with only 1 screw to manipulate.
Tony F.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2012-06-25 16:54
I would say that either mouthpiece would be fine....might as well use the one you already have. My thought for reeds is to 1st try a 2 but have a 1 1/2 on hand just in case. I think 1 1/2 is just too soft even for beginners. For a ligature, at that age it doesn't matter a lot, although an 8 year old could certainly handle any kind you give her. Since many kids start with standard metal ligs with the screws down, having an inverted ligature has a certain snob appeal among the young players.
Great idea. Hope you two have lots of fun!
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2012-06-25 18:06
Any ligature will work. I have taught an 8 year old before and she was very motivated at the time to learn. She had no problems with the two screws.
IMO, either mouthpiece would be fine. I personally try to start kids on 2.5 reeds but some come in with 2s from their band classes. Either of those should be fine too...
If she can already read music, that's one less thing you have to teach but if she has no experience with reading music then I find it a good idea to tell the students that there are clarinet things to learn (i.e. making a sound, blowing or tonguing correctly) and there are music things to learn (i.e. rhythm, correct notes, etc.).
Additionally I tend to try to get the student to just work on one difficulty at a time. For example, if they have a challenge remembering F#s in a tune in the key of G, I tell them to play every note correctly, even if the rhythm or articulation is wrong. Once that gets to be habit, then I add other elements in different orders.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2012-06-25 19:55
With my three granddaughters who play the clarinet, I refaced some older mouthpieces that no one but me likes and sanded some #3 V12 reeds until they felt easy to play by me. They were fitted with black Luyben ligatures(eventually the green and purple ones, favorite colors).
One granddaughter played with a wind ensemble in Carnegie Hall one year ago and her sister, at 14, just got the John Phillip Sousa award for outstanding instrumental performance in junior high school and was given the second chair in the high school band starting this fall. They have always used the #3 V12 reeds from the very beginning, as provided by me, the same as I've used for years, with the grain sanded smooth.
One problem one granddaughter had at 10 was that her hands were not big enough to cover all the holes, yet from day one, her sound was big and good. We told her to do the best she could and she soon grew larger. An Eb clarinet would probably have been better. Good Luck!
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-06-30 06:22
Thanks for the responses. I found several sized 2 and a couple of #2.5 reeds that I acquired with some misc. reed lots. I tried all of them on the Hite mouthpiece with a Luyben Ligature, and they played well. My Granddaughter should be good to go. After she works through the #2 reeds I think she will be ready for the 2.5's, so I'll order more when the time approaches.
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2012-06-30 14:32
#2 should be fine.
I prefer the Fobes Debut over the Hite student model, but both are perfectly ok.
1 or 1.5 is too soft even for day 1.
Don't rush progress too quickly, or overwhelm could occur. Depends entirely on the student, and internal motivation
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-07-02 15:19
David, good advice. I plan to work through the beginner book slowly, let her set the pace. She is very bright and a fast learner, so she will pick up some of the rote material quickly (she doesn't know how to read music, so that will be a challenge). Unfortunately the problem will be to convince HER that she is not going to be a good player at the get go. She often gets frustrated when she doesn't immediately become proficient at a new sport, etc. I have been telling her at every opportunity that it takes a long time to learn to play the clarinet, and that I had to practice every day for several months before they let me play in the band.
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
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Author: MSK
Date: 2012-07-06 02:35
My son started at age 10 (in school band) using the Fobes Debut MP, Rovner Dark Ligature, and #2 Rico Royal Reeds. That set up has worked fine. The main problem we've had is not set-up, but hand size. My son is small for his age - the size of an average 8 y/o. He has trouble reaching the pinky keys. Another small child I know had trouble covering the holes completely. Either problem can cause squeaks. I suspect child size is a reason in addition to budget that schools delay starting band until 5th or 6th grade.
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-07-06 19:30
yup, hand size are probably be the biggest hurdle this year.
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-08-22 00:11
I thought I'd update you all about my granddaughter's progress. It's been several weeks, but we've literally been in the middle of a forest fire in Northern California, so my attention has been diverted for awhile.
First, she did remarkable well. She was able to play an open G on the first lesson, and moved quickly to E, F, D, etc. She didn't know much about music transcription, but she's very bright and caught on quickly to measures, time signatures, repeat signs, pick up notes, dynamics, etc. She occasionally had trouble covering the holes fully with her small fingers, but who doesn't! Her tone was very good on the Hite Priemere and Luyben ligature, a couple of times my wife thought I was playing! She asked to play my clarinet a couple of times (which I had out for instructional purposes and duets), and was surprised that she seemed to have no trouble playing on a Vandoren 5RV with size 3 and 3.5 reeds.
She and grandpa were very proud of her progress, and she enjoys playing for people. When she left she was playing notes from low to middle A, and had just been introduced to eighth notes.
I sent her home equipped with the Resotone clarinet, BG neck strap, nj Isilk swab, a rico reed case, 4 #2 reeds and a #2.5 reed, two types of cork grease, and a K&M so-called bell store-able stand. (BTW: If you put the mouthpiece in the side compartment and the swab in the mouthpiece slot, there's room to store this long stand in the bell, allowing it to overflow into the mouthpiece slot). She also has book one of Essential Elements 2000 and an admonition to practice, and have her mom send scanned copies of the parent signed practice sheet. This will the hard part, she's very busy, as is her mom. But she also understands that the clarinet is on loan, and I will take it back if she stops playing it. If she continues to play, and gets into band, she gets my old wood clarinet, which has been rebuilt and plays nicely.
I have to pass on one more story. I ordered some of the Doctor's cork grease for her, and also gave her a tube of the chapstick type as back up. I mentioned a couple of times that the container of the Doctor's was the best. One day she retorted, "How do you know that this is the best, Grandpa." I replied, "Because the guy who sells it says it is." You should have seen the look she gave me!!
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
Post Edited (2012-08-23 05:20)
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2012-08-23 14:20
The Clarinet Stand
I'd warn her to not use it unless she is taking a short break. Dust, and mostly never swabbing it out are what happen when using a stand for most kids. Also, the sockets will get absolutely filthy without being dried (staying together, they never will). That could lead to a mildew problem.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2012-08-23 23:20
Good point about the stand, David. I think I thoroughly indoctrinated her to swab, wipe tenons with separate cloth, and even setting the reed out to dry for a few minutes before storing it and the clarinet after each playing session. She has even learned to tie the swab on the outside of the case for drying, and lets the tenon cloth hang mostly out to dry. We went over all the reasons for cleaning it and putting it away each time (and even moving the stand out of harms way): messy room, clarinet chewing animals (dog and cat), friends wanting to play it, parts getting broken, pads rotting, gunk making the clarinet hard to play, and mouthpiece getting gross. She also got some instruction on what to do with the clarinet if one doesn't have a stand (as in when grandpa did in the stone age when no one used stands). She was so indoctrinated that one day she hesitated to get the clarinet out to play for someone because she was going to practice later and didn't want to have put it away twice! It never even occurred to her that leaving it out was an option. (She received a special dispensation - remove reed and mouthpiece, swab clarinet, this is ok in a safe environment under special circumstances, but don't try this at home!)
Laurie
Laurie (he/him)
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