I went out earlier this week with my mum and she said she would get me a music instrument for christmas, and I had banked on this, and had previously decided to ask for a clarinet. So now i have a clarinet to learn to play after christmas. It's been one of my longest dreams to play clarinet. I can play Piano to a grade 5/6(ish) level, although ive never taken any ABRSM exams, and i am mainly self taught, having only been taught to half way through grade 2. I am also re-teaching myself to play violin in late september/early october. I was wondering if the clarinet is particulaly difficult to learn?

Thanks in advance

LIke a lot of woodwind, its easy enough to start once you can get a sound out of it.You might have a problem there,might not. As its your first woodwind instrument you really need a teacher to show you how to do things properly - its very different to piano! The greatest help will be that you can already read music. And all instruments finish up hard!

If you've got any other questions, just ask, there are a fair few of us clarinetists waiting to come out of the woodwork

thanks for replying, when i brought it home, the first thing i did was to put it together just to make sure.. i dont know what i was making sure of, but i wanted to make sure. when i had successfully put it together (took me about half an hour!) i tried to make a sound out of it, and i was lucky. I think it was a B i played, the one below middle C. I was quite impressed but my mum looked a bit bemused, and said that it HAD to go away...
Anyway. I talked to my best friend and she said it was probably advisable to start with a soft reed, as my clarinet came with a hard reed. I was wondering what you thought might be advisable?
Also, i have started looking into teachers, but i think i might attempt to teach myself for a short while, before actually persuing as i am currently.. unemployed. and a student, and am extremely short of money.
or do you think it would be better if i waited and got a teacher straight off so as not to develope bad habits?

Myk

I would say it would be best to get a teacher straight away if at all possible, even if its just a couple of lessons to set you on the right track!! Although you might be okay with some careful attention and a good tutor book... But I'm not a teacher so I couldn't reccomend anything except don't get abracadabra if you're self teaching! (No technique unless its changed in the last 6 years!) Usually beginners start on a reed thats a 1 and a half strength or a 2, just because its easier to get a sound from. You'll probably find that you won't be able to play for long stretches even with a soft reed! But it'll get better with practise

I figured the first thing i intend to buy would be a fingering chart. and obviously a first grade book. It just depends what i can manage to get my mum to buy me though. i really am that skint. ill see about getting a tutor. just depends if there are any in the area ofcourse, and if i could take lessons at college actually.. il have to look into it. Oh actually flute comes under woodwind as well. I'm getting a flute in late january hopefully, just depends on my EMA bonus at college. I think it's probably best to get someone to teach me flute though.

I started most of my wind instruments with nothing but a fignering chart and a hymn book playing stuff I actually wanted to play - there are only so many instruments that you can learn 'merrily we roll along' on in my opinion.

Hahaha I definatly agree with you on that one
got bored after id learnt it on piano violin and recorder!
i think i might have a go at teaching my self. ill wait until christmas till i decide though.
clarinets always remind me of christmas for some reason. no clue why.

They've got shiny bits!! Shiny things are christmassy things. Whoever invented string intstruments were boring. The only shiny things are the strings.

ahahah yep, you've definatly got that one right!
they could have put shiney erm.. i dont no.. metal on the side or something... make em look pretty as well as sounding it! i reckon string instruments must have been invented in the summer .. no shiney bits - nothing shining in your eyes!

If you can, get someone to teach you the basics of embouchure/posture/breathing etc. to make sure you don't get into bad habits.

Thanks barry, going to look into getting a teacher, for a few lessons at least.

Agree with Rosemary on both counts!!


Your string instruments may not be shiny - all of mine are!

Ahahaha, my old violin used to be.
But that was when i was eight.
Nearly 10 years ago.

XXX

I've had my violin since I was 12... almost 17 years... it's still shiny (the fiddle itself is 108 years old this year )