Hi all,

I have been reading the very helpful and encouraging comments posted to JAGuy's 'Learning the clarinet at 40' topic.

I have recently retired and now have the time to do some of the things that I wished I had done earlier in life, but never managed to find the time for.

High up on my wish list is to learn to play the clarinet. Like John (JAGuy), I too have no previous formal musical training. My experience is limited to strumming a few chords on a guitar, and picking out a one fingered tune on a keyboard.

It has been suggested that perhaps I should learn to play the alto sax, as this is apparently easier than the clarinet. However I am not necessarily in this for the easier option, I fully appreciate that both my brain, and fingers are not as nimble as they once were!

So I am presently seriously looking into pursuing learning to play the clarinet.

I would probably hire an instrument in the first instance, and intend taking some early lessons. However I am undecided about following the normal Grade studies, as my ambitions are not high. I would like to enjoy progressing to a reasonably competant level.

Any comments and advice would be greatly appreciated, particulary regarding my age and lack of experience.

Best regards,

John (based in Mid-Sussex).

My dad started clarinet at 68. He loves it. Get a teacher, be patient with yourself, and enjoy.

Good for you, go for it! (I will follow suit when my kids are grown up or doesn't need round the clock caring. For sure. Not clarinet, though. I would very much like singing and guitar lessons.) Best wishes, John.

Go for it! Don't beat yourself up if you're not playing the Mozart concerto in three weeks though. Take things at your own pace, and make sure you enjoy it.

Great choice of instrument - not that I'm biased or anything

Go for it and like the others have said, take it at your own pace. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun.

Go and visit the clarinet forum at www.woodwind.org

Plenty of posters in their seventies! In fact I learned almost everything I know about repairing clarinets from a 75 yr old gentleman who buy/repairs clarinets as a hobby and plays in concerts in the evening.

It's quite remarkable how much progress you can make when you're motivated and have spare time!



Always learn clarinet before the sax!

Steve

Definitely go for it! The clarinet is such a rewarding instrument! It may look difficult, and in reality, it can be, but everbody needs a challenge, so make this yours! The saxophone isn't nescessarily easier than the clarinet; it's each to their own. Good luck!

Hello silverstarter and welcome to the forums

Re whether to play clarinet or sax, I would choose an instrument for two reasons: which instrument do you prefer the sound of, and which instrument is more associated with the type of music you're going to want to play. For instance, if you want to play jazz, then either sax or clarinet would be fine, but if you want to play mostly classical music, then the clarinet would be better. And as others have said, it's generally recognised that it's easier to learn sax after learning clarinet, than to learn sax first and then go on to clarinet.

Age is so not an issue that I'm not even going to mention it (except to say that learning/playing music keeps you young )

When I first started learning clarinet a couple of years ago, I had virtually zero musical knowlege in a technical sense. And I just wanted to play for my own amusement. Like you, "my ambitions were not very high"....
Two years later, I'm a member of a clarinet ensemble and a learner jazz band as well as my individual lessons, I've just played a solo as well as ensembles in my first forum concert, I go to forum playdays, I'm going to the forum studio recording in March and I'm organising a forum concert in Leeds in June. Oh and I've just started going on a singing course as well, plus I'm taking Grade 3 clarinet this session and I do the Theory of Music exams as well. I've also got the music and a teacher lined up for Jazz Clarinet with a view to taking Grade 1 later this year. So be warned - taking up the clarinet, and the forums, is seriously addictive and there's no telling what it will all lead to!!!

Patience and practice are the key. You need lots of both! When I first started, I naively imagined that in a few weeks I would know all there was to know about playing the clarinet. Hmmm!!! I soon realised that it's not quite that simple - BUT, it's all the more enjoyable precisely because there is so much to learn. It's fascinating! And so rewarding when something clicks into place and you move up a notch. Taking up the clarinet has been one of the best things I've done - I can thoroughly recommend it!

Welcome to the adult learners group Silverstarter
Like the others have said: go for it and enjoy, you can do it.
Jo

I agree with Skylark, age is not an issue. Enjoy your music.
Beverley.

Thanks for your generous and enthusiastic comments and encouragement.

I will have to go for it now!!

John

I started sax only a few years ago as a senior! Go for it.
As to choice of instrument - well - it depends quite a bit on what you fancy really. I guess some are easier to start than others [there have been long and heated debates on other threads about this, but I suggest you just steer clear of all that controversy ]

Jazz isn't an easy starter if you have only a little musical knowledge - as a lot of jazz is not written down but relies on feel for harmonies and progressions etc. But this might be something you just drop into ok, who knows till you give it a go?

As to classical - I think the sax is just as good for 'classical' music as the clarinet. Define what you mean by 'classical' music first. Clearly music wasn't written for saxophone before the middle to late 19th century, but lots of earlier music transcribed works fantastically well on sax! Bach works a treat on tenor sax, probably more versatile than the clarinet Renaissance, Mediaeval and Early music sound great on saxes! And there is more and more new music being written now for sax and sax groups.

Talking of groups, remember if you went for sax you could easily make a sax choir/quartet etc because they come in SATB sizes! Have you considered Tenor sax instead of Alto? It's a lovely lovely sound, and you would be welcome in wind ensembles to play the lower lines - great fun!

It's worth a little thought, but of course in principle, go for starting an instrument like that!!

Hello silverstarter...

I play clarinet and alto sax... Neither particularly well!

However, there is one MAJOR piece of advice I can offer you...

DO NOT TAKE ANY NOTICE OF THESE PRE-CONCIEVED NOTIONS REGARDING INSTRUMENTATION ETC!



It's something which is rife in the world of music, and something which I really dislike... It happens a lot in the world of drumming (I'm predominantly a drummer) for example:

"You can't play rock without a double pedal!" and "You can't play jazz with more than five cymbals!"

Yes you can...

Similarly...

"You can't play classical music on the saxophone!" and "You need to clarinet first if you wanna play the sax!"

It's simply not true...



You do whatever you feel that you wanna do! Go for it - trust your intuition and judgement...

And the opinions of musicians whom you respect - after all, there's nothing wrong with seeking advice, as long as you can trust and respect it!

But at the end of the day - it's your life and your choice!


Give it a go... Enjoy it... And don't forget to let me know how you get on!

I love your nickname John! Definitely go for it. If you enjoy it, you'll have a new hobby and it'll open up a whole new world to you. (If you decide it's not for you, then - nothing lost. At least you'll have tried it).

I can't see that anyone has said that you can't play classical music on the sax! Obviously you can play classical music on the sax! All I said was that clarinet would be better if silverstarter primarily liked classical - because in my experience, classical orchestras, even amateur ones, do not welcome saxophones with the same enthusiasm as the traditional classical instruments. So I thought clarinet would be safer in case silverstarter ever wanted to join an amateur classical orchestra at some stage, even if he doesn't envisage it now. Your experience may be different though, and lots of other forumites might also tell silverstarter that he need have no concern on this front, which would be great if that's the case!

Re which should come first, clarinet or sax, I know quite a number of teachers in real life who have all said that it is easier to learn sax after clarinet than it is to learn clarinet after sax. I also know a sax graduate who is currently learning clarinet and who wishes he'd done it the other way round. Again your experience may be different, but we can all only offer our own experiences, for what they're worth

Hia
I suspect the reason people say the clarinet is harder is that it's harder to get a sound out of initially, it needs a tighter embouchure less air but tighter diaphragm (I think that's what I'm trying to say). The fingering for the alto sax starting at C4-C5 is very similar to the recorder.

I think that you should go with the instrument that gives you greatest satisfaction just getting a sound out of, if you can find a way of actually trying a few out, a good music shop shouldn't let you walk out of the door without having tried the instrument along with a few others of a similar ilk first!! Don't be put off by not getting a sound out on the first attempt, most people don't, but the seller should be patient enough to give you some pointers till you do! I would suggest finding out if you have a woodwind dealer locally who will let you try the alto sax and the clarinet and see which you like best. They may also be able to sell you a reasonable second hand one, quite often they don't display second hand ones, but they keep names of local people who are looking for a buyer. A good music shop will recondition the instrument first and provide a guarantee.

It is probably worth checking in your local library and also the internet to see if there are any adult learning groups/ensembles. I know in my area (gloucestershire) they have learn as you play ensembles especially for adults where they also loan instruments for a small fee. Hiring can be expensive, and if you continue to hire for over a year you may aswell have bought.

I don't think anybody actually said that.

If you read the original post, he said that he wanted to play clarinet, but had been told he should consider the sax.

Someone said:



Yes, true.

But let's put things into perspective.

I'm a good driver. Well, I think I am.

But learning to drive gave me far, far more stress than learning the clarinet.

I taught myself to 'get a sound'. The great thing about being grown up and not having lessons is that you can relax and just experiment to your heart's content.

Loads of reeds, just experiment....experiment...change position...clarinet pointing down,,further up...undo ligature and experiment with position of reed...ad infinitum!

Then, it 'clicks'! Suddenly you have a sound.

Then you experiment with the embouchure. Tip in the mouth more...out more. Sides of mouth tighter? Position of lower lip...etc

Just have fun!

Then, one year later, you'll pick up an alto sax and be playing it within minutes!

Steve

Welcome to the forums, silverstarter. I started the cello at 61 and have never looked back. I now play with a local orchestra where one of the clarinettists is 76, having started with an adult education group at the age of 70 and knowing nothing about music at all. Good luck with your playing - and have patience with yourself!

I had a student who began clarinet lessons at the age of 72, having never played anything before! He did well and asked to take his grade 1 when we both felt he was ready. He was so happy to pass, having left school at 14 without any exams. After 2 or 3 years he felt he'd learned enough to enjoy himself just playing at home, and was thinking of joining a band. Go for it and have fun!

BTW I was about 25 when I took him - I was really afraid of appearing either patronising, or too young to do the job well! But it worked out fine!

I know...

But I have known of woodwind teachers (!) saying that, on occasions, and it something which silverstarter may come across too... So I decided to point it out...

I play with a light orchestra and tenor sax is very welcome for the bass parts

just try to give consideration to all aspects... then go for what pleases you most anyway!!!