Hi folks,

I recently got a new clarinet and it has really sparked up my clarinet playing again. I'm all keen and enthusiastic and would love to be better than I am at the moment. I want to regain the technical abilities i had at 18 and take them further. I'm 34 and haven't had lessons since leaving school at 18 but have maintained playing through bands, church and for pleasure. In the past year I've joined a band of a really good standard and have the opportunity (should I wish) to take lessons from the lead solo clarinettist, a teacher of many years experience who is now semi retired and only has a few pupils. I don't think I'll want to do any exams, just push my playing standard up.

I currently have piano lessons at a frequency of one a fortnight. My piano teacher once suggested that as I'd kind of plataeued (sp?) and my practice time was limited that I might wish to go to once a month lessons and take lessons again on my sax or clarinet on the alternate fortnight so as to feel i was achieving something. At the time I didn't have the inclination to do this as I wanted to progress with my piano and didn't really feel i needed lessons on sax or clari. Having the new clari has changed this perspective a bit to yes I'm good BUT I can get better!!!!

So.... My question is this. Would one lesson a month on the clarinet be worthwhile? I can't afford more time or money so it's 2 piano lessons a month or 1 piano and 1 clarinet lesson. Just wondering if this is enough or whether I'd be wasting my money.

Opinions please. Particularly from anyone in a similar position. thanks.

If both you and your teachers are happy with it then I think it can work.
When I started playing a little over 2 years ago (had learned for 3 years in school but forgotten pretty well everything except how to put the instrument together) I had no lessons at first and then a lesson maybe a couple of times a year with a forum friend clarinet teacher who was good enough to work on that basis.

When I decided this April to look for a local teacher she found that I had actually managed to build good foundations even with such infrequent lessons.
If your teacher is able to target what needs doing and you can spend lesson time wisely then I think you can still progress even if it's not quite at the same pace as with more frequent lessons.

I think it's less important how often you have lessons than what happens in the lessons and in your practice in between. When I re-started violin, I couldn't manage regular lessons with a young baby to look after, so would just ring my tutor every few weeks to book a lesson when I felt ready for it, and had had a chance to assimilate what was taught in the last one.

As long as you and your teacher are happy with the arrangement, there is no reason why it should not work well - but as sbhoa said, you may need to be prepared for a slightly slower rate of progress.

I was going to say the same, but Mysterioso got there first.

The secret is to be methodical and self-disciplined enough to structure your own practice routine.

What's really important is a good collection of exercises and pieces to keep you motivated. Don't stick to just one book.

Perhaps keep a practice diary, and don't go too fast in the first few weeks.

Good luck!

Steve

I'm sure one lesson a month would be very beneficial. After all, you don't so much need to learn from scratch as to improve techniques already securely in place. Lessons are needed more often when people are learning technique, because it's so easy to start slipping into bad habits and practising those instead of the good technique!

In the first lesson I imagine your teacher would evaluate your playing and note what is in most need of improvement. Then you would be given exercises to help you improve. If you write down at the time the main points your teacher wants you to take note of, you can happily fill a month sorting out some of the problems before your next lesson.

Why not give it a go and see for yourself whether you're motivated to practise?

I'm in a similar position to you and have restarted clarinet lessons after a break of nearly 30 years. Currently every 2-3 weeks, find this time round
1. I have far more patience and determination to try and iron out problems rather than ignore them
2. Having infrequent lessons really helps to concentrate on what is important
3. Being older and more mellow means I care less about making mistakes and am more willing to have a go at music I may have dismissed as too difficult first time round

Go for it and hope you enjoy your lessons as much as I have

I'm certainly that!! I've been enjoying playing my new istrument and practising up some of the band pieces. I even got out an old studies book and went through a few of them the other day.

I guess I probably feel I need focusing and challenging to enable improvement rather than sitting back and enjoying playing "comfortable" pieces.

Going away in a couple of weeks so probably wouldn't start til November. have to finalise details with the teacher as he usually teaches in the day and I'm only able to do it on an evening once hubby is home to watch the kids or maybe a Sat am would be do-able. If the details can be worked out I think I'll do it. I wanted to anyway but wasn't sure how beneficial it would be at the frequency I could do. Thanks all for your opinions and encouragement. Any more words of wisdom please post here!




Thanks devonclari. I think I'm inclined to feel the same.