Reading Notes In Second Register, Advice needed Options

[Clari Nicki1]

I have a pupil that got 132 for Grade 1 clarinet. She has good tone but did use to struggle with reading lower register notes... but she is fine reading chalumeau register notes now. I separated notes from rhythmn recently and she can read rhythm really well.... but seems to have an absolute block learning to read the next register notes. She refuses to do it. She writes the equivalent chalumeau note above every higher register note. She refuses to take on board what the higher register note is called... It's really frustrating.... And i don't know how to help her.... Every now and then I make her use my copy of the music with no notes written in and she really struggles. She seems to have a block and can't accept that a G with the register key is a D.... She has learnt some scales that cross the break but she is finding them difficult as she doesn't realised that E with register key is B...
She can play the notes so nicely too... with a lovely tone and perfectly in tune.

Anyone experienced this before?
How do i deal with this?

I've had other pupils who struggle to play the notes... but not one who can play them easily (and slur across the break) but can't read the notes!!!

[Clari Nicki1]

Yes maybe..... I mess around with the next register notes before Grade 1 preparation... then we forget about them in order to do Grade 1... Then return to them post Grade 1. As she had no problems producing the notes maybe I went to fast.... The tutor book also introduces the notes 3 at a time (Clarinet Basics)....
I was thinking that maybe I should go back and just do one note at a time.... Might need a different group of pieces.
This girl is so frustrating as what she's good at she's really good at... yet she has gaps in her practising (it's erratic) and gaps in her knowledge.
I have other pupils trying desperately hard to produce the high notes in tune yet she has them under control without effort!!!



[quote name='neil.clarinet' date='Jul 13 2007, 08:37 PM' post='552211']
I've used Tune A Day this way in the past but there is a wealth of things.

If you want lots of lower register tunes while you sort this out, I would recommend First Repertoire by Harris and Johnson. Even the grade 3 pieces are all in the low register, and some fun pieces in there.


I don't have Tune a Day (only a very old one...) I use Clarinet Basics which goes too fast for this pupil right now... so thanks Neil... I will invest in this.... It might be just what she needs... She does need a methodical approach and Clarinet Basics just goes too quickly for her...
In fact I used the old Tune a Day as a child... and I have used some pieces from this with her... The only pieces she'll play at the moment.

I have First Repertoire... My Grade 3 candidate just got 136 play Spy and Contredanse.... but that pupil can read the high notes well so I don't mind her playing lower register pieces....but I want this pupil to learn to read high register notes... or she won't really be making that much progress.....