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Does size matters?

Author: DennisCheng
Date: 2006-10-15 14:44

Hi, i have been the clarinet for 3 years now. I'm just wondering whether me being really really small in size is hard to play the clarinet well.As i have a backbone problem i have to wear a brace which prevents me from growing, so my lungs are not able to grow much....
Now i can only play the open G note for only 10 seconds T.T . I can only take in a small amount of air.Does having small lungs got anything to do with it? If i practise long notes everyday , will my air capacity increase?Now i dont feel motivated to practise long notes...i just feel that i cant become a good clarinet player because of this problem. Please answer my questions. Thanks!

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Re: Does size matters?

Author: Alseg
Date: 2006-10-15 16:28

Commendations on your persistence.

OK, sure total lung capacity has some effect on playing, , but that is not the full story.

You wear a brace. Are still growing?...What is your age? There may be some improvement over time. If it is for scoliosis, perhaps you will see increased capacity as treatment progresses.

An interesting sidelight: there have been observations that oboe playing has improved pulmonary function tests in some individuals. The resistance of the oboe is different, but generalizing to the clarinet is not so far-fetched.

You like the instrument. So keep playing and keep us posted.

Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-

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Re: Does size matter?

Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-10-15 19:16

Hi Dennis - Yes, and no ! Alseg says it well, that clarinet and oboe playing [I've done both] improves lung capacity and helps us use ALL of it, not just the usual portions. My bass and alto playing requires large volume at low pressure, while the Bb [and the Eb] and the OBOE in particular, require less but at higher pressure, so I am still profiting from from many years of "work/fun" . I'm sure that your doctors will agree to a "reasonable" amount of practice, possibly performance, so please stay with it. Regards, Don

Thanx, Mark, Don

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Re: Does size matters?

Author: DennisCheng
Date: 2006-10-16 01:56

Thanks guys for replying!
Yup i have scoliosis.. Now i'm 15 yrs old..not really growing anymore.Feels sad that even my juniors can play louder and longer than me :(

Anyway, i shall not bow down to fate and KEEP PRACTISING!

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Re: Does size matters?

Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2006-10-16 02:46

Dennis --

I am really surprised that no one in your past (such as a band director or music teacher) suggested that you might perhaps try the oboe, instead of the clarinet.

To play the oboe you must have (or develop) strong muscles, especially in the face and the abdomen, but the air volume required to play the oboe is considerably less than what is required for the clarinet. I know -- I learned the hard way that playing an oboe with clarinet air sounds really, really, loud.

The oboe is also smaller and less heavy to hold than a clarinet.

If this interests you, there might be someone you could ask to see if it were possible to try it for a while and see if it is a better "fit" for you.

Good luck!

Susan

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