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Extra-curricular activities

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Original poster

Can someone tell me about clarinets please?

31 replies

MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 28/04/2010 13:02

We want to buy one for DD1 for her birthday next month. We can't spend a fortune. We're happy to buy second hand...we were thinking ebay but not sure how to do so sensibly.

What makes? What do we need to consider? What do we need to buy with it?

Also, what book would be good for her to start with. A teacher isn't an option right now - we just want it for her to fiddle around with until she gets keen enough to want to learn it formally. She's been learning recorder from a book for the last year.

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 28/04/2010 19:01

Right, deep breath!

Do I have to tell her she needs to stick to recorder for a few years, or is there anything else she can move to to keep her interest up?

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 28/04/2010 18:59

Ok, I am not in the slightest annoyed by any of your posts, but I am bloody irritated by all the bloody conflicting advice we've had about this over the last few months!

She wants to learn sax eventually. We've been advised not until she's much, much older - early teens ideally. She's fed up with recorder. We've been advised flute, but then told that the embouchure is all wrong, and clarinet would be better. This all by people who know her/know her story.

I can't believe how frustrated I feel about this - we've saved up for this and she's so desperate to learn a new instrument and to get one step further to her dream of playing sax.

Gah!

Now I don't know what to do!

OP posts:
weegiemum · 28/04/2010 18:56

Boosey and Hawkes is good.

But I too (am a grade 8 clarinet player, started age 9) would not advise it 1) this young and 2) without lessons. Its hard, and there are so many technique issues that I would really consider whether this is just going to put her of music forever!

Original poster
MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 28/04/2010 18:54

She'll be 7. She's home educated. Our friend plays and teaches enough instruments to get her started but I know my daughter won't want formal lessons just yet. We have researched and researched the right instrument for her.

Can anyone advise the best make to get?

OP posts:
NormaSnorks · 28/04/2010 13:53

Agree with ElasticWoman - need a proper teacher, as embouchure is everything. Otherwise your daughter will try playing it like a recorder, it will screech, and she will give up demotivated.

How old is your DD? Does your school have any music provision to borrow instruments?

Clarinet is a difficult instrument too. The fingering is half like a recorder, then not!

A flute might be better?

Elasticwoman · 28/04/2010 13:50

A clarinet is not a good instrument to fiddle about on without a teacher, as a player needs to develop a good embouchure (way of blowing). Better to rent instrument and have a few lessons, then decide.

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