 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Terry Wheeler
Date: 2002-02-19 15:09
My son, age 11, will be entering 6th grade in the fall. He has an opportunity to take band and play an instrument. He is interested in flute or clarinet. Any advice on which to choose? Thanks.
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Author: Steve Carr
Date: 2002-02-19 15:16
Definately flute!. I started on clarinet and found it boring!. Flute players are hard to come by!...he'll do well out of flute...as long as he moves onto sax afterwoods!.
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Author: Chris Ellison
Date: 2002-02-19 15:43
It is all a matter of taste. You can have a great time playing both. As for using the flute to move onto the sax, it would seem that the flute is not that interesting after all.
Learning the clarinet will give a better perception of what the other instruments (sax, oboe, bombarde, etc.) will be like and probably open more horizons.
Music is open to everyone and sectarian views are not necessary helpful, whereas good spelling is most definitely useful to everyone.
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Author: Torus Tubarius
Date: 2002-02-19 17:33
Why not play oboe? C'mon... everybody's doing it...
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Author: Carol Ann Benjamin
Date: 2002-02-19 23:30
I would suggest your son play the clarinet to start. It is the basic woodwind instrument and he could easily transfer to sax, oboe, etc. Just the same for the brass instruments. If he were interested in brass my suggestion would be for him to begin with the trumpet.
I played clarinet from the 6th grade through high school. I played in the marching and concert band. Today, some 30 years later, I have just purchased a flute and am teaching myself to play it. (Didn't think my lungs had what it took for the clarinet these days). Anyway, good luck. He will find a whole new world out there (and so will you). Be encouraging and enjoy!!
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Author: saxy boy
Date: 2002-02-20 04:20
let your son choose. any certain instrument isn't more important than another, or more boring. Flutes are just as necessary as clarinets, and clarinets are just as necessary as flutes. Otherwise they wouldn't even be in bands in the first place. Flute and clarinet and both very good instruments to start on. And hey, even if your son doesn't like either of them, they are a heap more that he can choose from. It took me about three years to figure out which one I like best. I went from the clarinet, to the sax, to the oboe, flute, piccolo, soprano sax, tuba(haha that was a laugh, i was so bad at that)and after i had finished experimenting I figured that i'd play the saxophone. But that's just me. My advice is, let your son experiment, cause you never know until you try!
Saxy Boy
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Author: Eoin
Date: 2002-02-20 07:15
Terry,
You've got a lot of good opinions to help your son in his choice. But it should be his choice and not yours. The most important factor is that he should love playing the instrument. If he considers it a chore, he will give up at the first opportunity and will miss out on a wonderful pastime in later life. If he chooses, then he is more likely to want to play the instrument.
Flute and clarinet are very good instruments to start on. It's probably best not to start on something like the oboe. Whatever he chooses, he should set aside some time _every_ day to practise. It is better to do fifteen minutes a day than one mammoth session once a week. People will say you should practise an hour a day but nobody can afford an hour a day every single day of the year. Better to set a realistic target.
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Author: Instrument Playa
Date: 2002-02-20 23:44
I think that he should play the clairnet because it is an intresting instrument 2 learn and play. there are many challanges but there are advantages in to playing the clarinet. in 1 or 2 years u will b able 2 play a saxaphone. then u can b in jazz bands.
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Author: Jeremy
Date: 2002-02-21 05:36
No one here has addressed the core issue in choosing an instrument. Music. Let your son play anything wants, let him change instruments whenever he wants, let him DO WHATEVER HE WANTS. The point of an playing an instrument is to play beautiful (whatever your definition of that may be) music. Only narrow-minded people claim that one instrument is better than another (Any saxophone player who sits next to a horn player in band knows what I mean) and that one MUST play a certain instrument. Also, most of you seem set on "x-instrument" is better than "y-instrument", but tend to forget that if it wasn't for the flute and Theobold Boehm, none of your precious clarinets and saxophones would be here. Let your son play the Jew's harp if he wants, but just make sure he is enjoying himself.
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Author: Anthony
Date: 2002-03-02 23:42
I started off on clarinet last year in seventh grade. I am now in advanced b and in eigth grade and I am first chair. Now i know how to play the Flute and Piccolo. They are both good instruments and whoeversaid there is only flute and a piccolo in that family..WRONG..there is also bass flute,alto flute, and contrabass. Just the same as clarinet. But every instrument is very important. Let your son fool around with instruments and see what he likes best.
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Author: Tapfer
Date: 2002-03-02 23:49
I say he should begin on the clarinet. I did, and then I went to bass clarinet, and then bassoon. The flute is airy. I never found the clarinet hard. It's really quite simple.
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Author: treehead
Date: 2002-03-19 21:18
well i actually think, if he doesnt have to do either, that he play a brass instrument. I've always wanted to, never had the oppourtunity. i've played in many bands, and we're always lacking in the lower sections, especially low brass. clarinet - i like it, but EVERYONE plays it. in my middle school, there were 35 clarinet players in the 6th grade band, 18 in concert band B, and 15 in concert band A...GOOD flute players are pretty difficult to find, i actually have three flute player friends who are exceptionally good, but seriously, try trumpet (many schools have weak trumpet sections, with a few strong players, and always want more good ones!), or baritone, or something. as for flute or clarinet, let him choose...
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Author: Jessica
Date: 2002-05-07 00:03
I think he should play the clarinet.. i've only played it three years but it isnt that hard to play and is alot of fun...but i wont take sides on flute or clarinet.
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Author: sleepinglion
Date: 2002-05-16 04:37
Aloha,
I started on the flute and worked my way to the sax. The fingerings are almost the same. C and B are the only ones that differ. Go with the Flute.
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Author: leighzer
Date: 2005-05-23 03:55
well if he's looking for a challenge then he should chose Clarinet because the clarinet has the most notes in the band but the flute is more of a have fun thing, its for people who have trouble memorizing. Clarinets are much better.
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