which one?

Bass definetely! I was about to start the viola a few months ago but didn't in the end. So glad I didn't, more time for my clarinet!

I would look at the sort of music you'll be expected to play on each instrument before choosing. I really love medieval and Baroque music - but didn't realise that there isn't any for clarinet. Also if you want to play your new instrument in an orchestra I'd go for viola rather than violin, as it'll be easier to get in! (here speaks a frustrated clarinettist/flautist)

Go for a Viola !!
It had a nice warm tone and much easier to play than the violin...easier to carry than the cello!!

Sorry, but what a silly question!!!!

Surely, the twelve year old should choose for themselves.

How on earth can anyone else decide for them?

Steve

cello has a wonderfuly romantic tone just a shame we dont get big parts all the time just occasionally the oboe is great for getting into orchestras and performing takes a while to create the plaintive sound it is famous for the violin is very uncormortable but has the greatewst string range of any instrument 2 octaves per string when using different positions viola is also uncorfortable but bigger i dont realy like alto clarinets but bass is a good ide i have never meat a bass clarinetist

QUOTE (Catrin @ Apr 27 2005, 08:26 PM)

I really love medieval and Baroque music - but didn't realise that there isn't any for clarinet.

Sorry to post on this thread - I would have PMd Catrin if I could.

There are some Baroque arrangements for clarinet available, such as the Tartini Concertino, which is great fun to play. I recently bought Bach '21 Pezzi' (Ricordi ER2621) which has arrangements of movements from some of his cello and violin suites - I'm really enjoying them, and I think they sound very good on clarinet.

LEts just says that violin , viola, cello needs a lots of training fingerings, and that not easy for someone who is over 10. Clarinet and sax. are very useful among bands, but these two instrument's "changing properties" are a lot, I had a hard when I'm learning clarinet, but it's fine lastly, so I 'll suggest oboe, clarinet and sax. but I vote oboe, because oboe's "fingering properties" is not that much, but the hard place is in the embrochure. So I vote this.

would being a pianist help in the 'fingering training' part if one were to pick up string instruments in their teens

well, it can, but you will need a lot of practice

QUOTE

which is certainly

This is getting worse: too old and past it because you're 10! There are professional violin soloists that started learning after the age of 10. I don't think that there are many things that you're too old to do if you're aged 12 . Take up whichever instrument you feel you'd enjoy the most!

Bass clarinet (although sax would be better)

I 100% agree, plus you seem to play clarinet, sax, piano, keyboard (what the heck is the difference?!!?!? keyboard is either the rubbish things used in primary school lessons or the term for a family) and there's threads suggesting playing the violin, oboe, cello, alto/bass clarinet, soprano sax etc

CALM DOWN!

IrisH - LoonY

Why isn't flute an option?

Hear hear!

I put violin? It's not too big lol!

yes!!! if flute was there i'd have voted flute, but i voted violin. i dunno why i just like it. i wanted to play violin or viola but the only instruments i could learn in my primary school were brass and woodwind, so i got flute!

Why not consider learning Cor Anglais, Shawm, or Bombarde instead of Oboe? If more people don't start paying an interest, and learning older instruments, they'll all die out! Genuinely I'm trying to persuade many people to learn rarer instruments. Especially since it would be so easy for some people to double up, using instruments they already play, for example; Oboe-Bombarde, Clarinet-Chalumeau, Trombone-Sackbutt, etc. If anyone is interested in helping to preserve rare instruments by learning one, please PM me and I'll be happy to help!

Matt

Or the person in question could just continue what they play...

IrisH - LoonY

Nothing wrong with continuing to play their current instrument AND learning a new one...

Matt

I'd suggest taking the child to a music store and letting them hear them played. Then get the child to learn the recorder for a year first. The alto recorder is similar to clarinet fingering; the descant and tenor recorder are similar to sax and oboe.


If they pick the strings, they could still learn recorder first to help them understand the language of music. Learning to read it is a task in itself for a 12 y o.



Good luck to the future virtuoso


S.

When he already plays what Clarinet Sax Piano AND Keyboard (whatever the difference between that and piano is I'll probably never know, especially how one gets Grade 8 in it :-|) PLUS saying they play violin oboe alto/bass clarinet viola cello etc......It's not exactly advisable to play ANOTHER instrument!

IrisH - LoonY

Maybe, but I play plenty of instruments and each one I've taken up has always benefited me on my other instruments! And it means more grades (which is useful for Uni etc).

Matt

As far as I understand, no-one learns the Cor Anglais in its own right as the repertoire just doesn't exist for it.....all Cor parts are played by oboists, who are often expected to play it alongside the oboe in orchestras. The Cor is simply a bigger version of the oboe.

However I love historical instruments and think it's very cool to learn things like the Shawm and Bombarde! You might be limited in your opportunities to play them though, as they're not needed in modern orchestras, so I guess it might be better to take such an instrument up alongside a more conventional one Also, newly-made historical instruments are madly expensive as there isn't the demand for them.

Matt, I bet you totally love the Early Music Shop - I certainly do!

There's no music for clarinet? Every song can be played on clarinet. With three octaves to play with, a little bit of transposing will make little difference.

My primary instrument is recorder. They never wrote rock music for recorder. Instead, I get out my MIDI files and transpose my line. Pretty Fly for a White Guy and Anthem of the Year 2000 were not written for an alto recordist Yet, it works transposed to F and I rock

Yup, I loooooooooooooove the Early Music Shop! Historical instruments are great!

Matt

Stay away from the brass if the person's only 12. violin , viola , cello and cello will be good.

There is Baroque music for clarinet. Tartini comcertino to name juse one. Just get transcriptions of other pieces.

Rameau actually scored for clarinets in one of his works!

bass clarinet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
though i might be slightly biased seeing as that's what i play
its a great instrument, though!!

Too many already for the playing opportunities. The same is true of clarinet. Oboe and bassoon do better, because they are more expensive and more difficult. Another point is that if you want to get into an orchestra, even an amateur one, as a woodwind player you have to be a soloist, reliable and with a good technique and tone. Back desks of strings in amateur orchestras can leave out notes (judiciously) if trying to play everything would make the performance worse.

Viola and (string) double bass are still in demand in most places, and in Berkshire there are more opportunities for violinists than 'cellists.

Oboe rox!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sara
x

For a beggining instrument either paino, voilin or a clarinet or trumpet will be best. Clarinet has a similar fingering in one register as any other woodwind instrument. it makes for an easy trasition.

I only voted oboe, becasue I would have started a stringed instument earlier! 12 is a good age to take up a woodwind instrument. having started the oboe at 11, 12 is a good age to start, you're not going to mess up your dentistry with the embouchure at that point.

To learn start playing the oboe takes a particular type of person, one who does not want easy results and is in for the long hawl. To make a pleasant sound on the oboe takes time, whereas the first sounds one makes on a flute or clarinet are not unpleasant.

But, flute, clari/sax, oboe or bassoon. This is the age to start if you want to play a woodwind instrument.

But what is wrong with the piano?