 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Tobin
Date: 2015-12-18 20:50
Rico orange box 2.5's...when they finish those (presuming things are progressing well) switch to 2.5's of a more reputable brand.
Or Rico 3's for one box...and then 3'a of a more reputable brand.
James
Gnothi Seauton
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2015-12-18 21:07
Beginners have no muscle strength to form an embouchure. I started with a brown-box (now orange) Rico 1-1/2, and so should you. Progress up in strength as muscles build.
It's important for you as the teacher to balance the reed and put it accurately on the mouthpiece, so that a decent sound come out with almost no effort.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: pewd
Date: 2015-12-18 23:21
Vandoren Blue Box #2.5 - one box, the move them to a 3.0
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: nellsonic
Date: 2015-12-19 05:10
I generally agree with Ken's posts, but in this case I don't fully. Beginners don't develop good embouchure form unless they use a strong enough reed to require it. In my experience 1 1/2 strength reeds are counter-productive for beginners. What's worked well for me over the years is asking new beginners to get a 3 pack of strength 2 reeds, and a 3 pack of strength 2 1/2 reeds, either Ricos or Junos. When they've broken or otherwise gone through the 2's, they are ready for the 2 1/2's - usually in two or three weeks. How long they stay on 2 1/2's is really variable (it depends on the student), but they move up to 3's on average maybe after 2-6 months and then again to 3 1/2's when ready - although ideally they are using a better brand reed by then. Most of my beginners use the Fobes Debut.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tobin
Date: 2015-12-19 21:42
Everyone will have a different experience with this. I've never had any child who couldn't sound the instrument with Rico 2.5's.
James
Gnothi Seauton
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: nellsonic
Date: 2015-12-20 01:08
Starting on too hard a reed is just as bad as starting on one that's too soft. A beginner on an appropriate reed usually feels that they have to blow with some effort, but they should not be straining the embouchure muscles, just keeping the form correct. If the embouchure is anything close to correct and the air flow is good, the tone should be clear, although it may be somewhat unstable in the very early stages. An airy sound indicates that the reed is too hard. The biggest variable, as always, is usually the mouthpiece being used.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: gwie
Date: 2015-12-20 04:09
I start them on the Fobes Debut or Behn Overture (I love these, my last six new students have started on them), and have a stock of Mitchell Lurie (regular) 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0. As they develop their embouchure, I transition them from there to a Vandoren regular 2.0, 2.5, 3.0. At that point, we move on to a Vandoren, D'Addario, or other more advanced mouthpiece and seek an individual solution with the huge range of reeds available on the market.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
