I am thinking of taking up the clarinet and I was wondering if people could answer a couple of questions for me: 1. How much does a decent setup for a clarinet cost
2. What requirements do you need (ie books, accessories)
3. Any tips that anyone has that might be helpful.

Thanks in advance for your help.

1. I'd buy a good buffet clarinet (B12) around £250-£300, but you may be able to find a better deal.
2. Clarinet Basics is a good beginners book with a CD
3. Get a teacher for the first couple of weeks to ensure that you don't pick up any bad habbits that wil be hard to rectify later. Don;t expect to be able to get a nice noise out of it straight away, it very rarely happens.

Kayla,

Two books I found particularly good:

Abracadabra Clarinet. Perhaps a bit simple looking but great fun.

Learn as you play. Peter Wastall. Boosey & Hawkes. My overall favourite. Nice choice of music.


Since you already play sax, you'll be belting out tunes within a few minutes, though the embouchure is tighter and trickier on the clarinet.

I haven't a clue on the price of clarinets in Australia. The ABRSM is a great forum, but there's a more international forum at:

www.woodwind.org

Good luck,

Steve

1. The Buffet B12 is a good starter instrument, as is the Yamaha YCL250. Budget for a new one to cost £300-350 (not sure how much that would be in Australian currency). You may be able to find something second hand that is cheaper.

2. The Team Woodwind series, A New Tune a Day and the Boosey and Hawkes tutor series are all good books. You'll also need some reeds of 1 1/2 or 2 strength, cork grease and a pull-through to clean your clarinet with, though a new outfit may well come with some or all of these.

3. Yes, agree with PD, I'd recommend finding yourself a teacher to ensure you don't fall into any bad habits (clarinet and sax technique are not exactly the same re embouchure/breathing, they have some similarities but they're not exactly the same). And do make sure you practice regularly (as I'm sure you will! )

Hope you enjoy the wonderful world of the clarinet, and if I think of anything else, I'll post it here (it's getting quite late, and I'm getting a bit tired!)

Thankyou so much for your advice. Does anyone have any experience with the Standard of Excellence series of books. We used them when learning the saxophone but I am unsure about what they are like for the clarinet. I shouldn't have too much trouble finding someone to teach me as I have a friend who is a member of a state band for playing the clarinet.

Be aware that Abracadabra (unless it has changed drastically recently) doesn't have any advice on technique, so if you use it you will need to find out that stuff from elsewhere, though as a saxophonist you do have a head start.

Abracadabra does have some very good pieces to play in it, but it only has fingerings in it as regards technique (nothing about breathing, posture, embouchure etc), so if you choose to use this book as a tutor book, you really should get yourself a good clarinet teacher, though it does appear you won't have a problem finding someone if your post above is anything to go by Kayla.

Have had a look at 'Standard of Excellence', but never used it myself as a tutor book. It doesn't really appeal to me, but that's just my personal opinion. I do know of a couple of people who have used it and are quite happy with it.

Thankyou everyone for your advice. I am now just saving money to buy one -along with everything else I have to buy -ie uni stuff. Hopefully by the end of the year though.