Any clarinetists here?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

RavenStar

Refugee
Joined
Jan 4, 2002
Messages
1,101
Location
Purgatory
I hope so. I'm thinking of getting my own clarinet and wanted to know what are the best brands of clarinets and mouthpieces? I've playing for 7 years and I'm sick of the schools instruments.
 
I?m going to learn how to play this autumn. Got myself signed up at our music school. Finally. I?ve been playing bass for some years now, but the clarinet always fazinated me :)

But I?m afraid I can?t help u with your questions about brands. I guess I should be asking you :)

Any advice for a beginner ???
 
To tell you the truth I can try to help you but there might be a problem. I am a natural at the clarinet and that makes it difficult to help begginers but I'll try.

1. Don't use cheap reeds. I reccomend Rico 2 1/2 to start out with.

2. Don't be afraid to try difficult music. Even if it is way out of your league it helps to try stuff you can barely play and practice over and over again than to play songs like hot cross buns for years.

3. Chromatic scales are always useful

4. Make sure you know the treble clef - WELL

5. Replace your reed every 3 weeks at the minimum. I see beginners playing on dead reeds and it's not good for yer emboucher(sp?)

6. Method books are useful but since you have musical experience they might move too slowly for you.

7. When you first play make shure you have a comfortable hand position. If you have really short fingers there are clarinets that are made with the keys closer together.

8. Have fun! If you get bored of practicing, stop. I find I can only practice for 30 minute intervals until I get bored.


I hope that helps
 
thanks a lot for your advice, Raven Star. I just found out that my teacher is from Hungary and he?s supposed to be a real genius. But he?s never heard of the Beatles or the Stones or U2 (well he will hear about U2 - I?ll make sure of that). He?s all into classical music and some jazz. Well I?m up for it. :) Can?t wait to start my lessons :)
 
reeds used to taste bad but now I think I kinda like the taste.

Have you started your lessons yet? That is, have you started them? Are they private or group? I found that in school I was always bored cos I was ahead of all the other students. You might have this problem is you take group lessons.
If you have any questions feel free to pm me.
 
no, the lessons haven?t started yet. It?s still another month until music school will start. I?ll have private lessons, but if I want to I can join a group as well. But I havent?signed up for it yet. It?ll be interesting to see how this will work out. I?ll keep you posted :)
 
had my first lesson yesterday and I love it, love it, love it.

first I had to practize a couple of times to put my instrument together and then take it appart again and clean it. After that we started playing. I was surprised that I could play straight away, I just had some difficulties to remember where to put my fingers to play each note, but it was ok after a short while. Towards the end I was able to play little songs. The good thing is that I can already read music, so that was no big problem.

Hey, this was so much fun!!! I kept on practizing at home until my cheeks started hurting :D


:) :) :)
 
AM said:
had my first lesson yesterday and I love it, love it, love it.

first I had to practize a couple of times to put my instrument together and then take it appart again and clean it. After that we started playing. I was surprised that I could play straight away, I just had some difficulties to remember where to put my fingers to play each note, but it was ok after a short while. Towards the end I was able to play little songs. The good thing is that I can already read music, so that was no big problem.

Hey, this was so much fun!!! I kept on practizing at home until my cheeks started hurting :D


:) :) :)

Sounds like you had a great time! The reasson yer cheeks hurt is cos the muscles there are not...worked out (for lack of a better term). Even when I play for a long while my cheeks start to hurt and I've been playing for 7 years! The pain will soon start to take longer to show up though. Just be glad you arent playing oboe! I heard that one is soooo hard to even play 1 line of music without having to stop.
 
RavenStar said:
The pain will soon start to take longer to show up though. Just be glad you arent playing oboe! I heard that one is soooo hard to even play 1 line of music without having to stop.


so there?s hope :)

I?ve already realized that I can play for a little bit longer now than I did last week. I can play noa about 3 lines of music without stopping, and the sqeeking isn?t too bad....

But sometimes my clarinet just doesn?t sound right, like if there?s water in it or something. If I stop for a while it?s ok again. Any idea what this is??
 
hmmmm...it's probably the reed. Spit likes to stick to the inside of the reed. To get rid of it you (this is kinds gross) you suck the spit back in your mouth. Or wipe it off. I find wiping it off makes it too dry though.
 
I don't play clarinet...but I tell stories and this one is encouraging

I often refer to the Contemporaray Music TAFE college where my husband works. This is it's 5th year in existence. A lot of students apply and they have to audition to win a place.
Evette has applied several times and not been successful, but this year she was. She is a clarinette player, very very good, she can pick up a tune instantly and jam with anyone.
She was born blind and almost mute...music is her communication. I don't go to the campus much, but called in for lunch last week and sat with Evette. I has no idea how severely disabled she is. It was rather humbling and just goes to show what determination can achieve.

Go for it Ravenstar and AM....a very soulful instrument.
 
thanks for telling us about Evette. It is amazing the way music enriches our lives and in Evettes case even becomes a way to express herself.

I sometimes think that music effects peoples souls in a way nothing else worldy can.
 
Back
Top Bottom