Is the Clarinet a Good Instrument for a Child?
A clarinet for a child is a terrific starting point into making music. The size and weight of the instrument make the clarinet well-suited for children with small hands and, compared to
Is the Clarinet a Good Instrument for a Child?
A clarinet for a child is a terrific starting point into making music. The size and weight of the instrument make the clarinet well-suited for children with small hands and, compared to many instruments, the clarinet has the advantage of being very portable.
There are many opportunities for young players of the clarinet, primarily in school music programs, including concert and marching bands, orchestras, jazz bands, clarinet choirs, and solo clarinet with piano.
The clarinet is often the instrument to play the melody in band, so children get a lot of pleasure by playing recognizable tunes.
Is the Clarinet Difficult to Play?
Producing a good sound on the clarinet is the first step in learning the instrument. This is not a difficult proposition if the student starts with good, basic equipment, and of course a competent teacher to explain the embouchure (how to shape the mouth to hold the mouthpiece) and the workings of the instrument.
When looking at the clarinet, it may appear a daunting task to learn because of the number of keys on the instrument. However, learning one key at a time, at a reasonable pace, helps to make the process of learning understandable.
A young player may be able to learn at a fast pace with 20 to 30 minutes of practice per day. If the student has some recognizable songs to learn and recordings to listen to, his or her interest and ability should increase very quickly.
History of the Clarinet
The clarinet has an exciting and diverse background in the history of music. As one of the most versatile instruments in the woodwind family (which also includes flutes, oboes, bassoons, and saxophones), the clarinet has been the instrument of choice for many brilliant performers in many styles of music, including jazz, classical and pop. Some of the most famous clarinetists to make history with the instrument include Benny Goodman, Richard Stoltzman, Eddie Daniels, Pete Fountain, and Jack Brymer. These artists have each developed unique styles of playing that illustrate the vast capabilities of the clarinet.
The tremendous musical range of tone and dynamics that a clarinet can produce range from the subtle, fluid lines of Debussy, to the gritty New Orleans style of Dixieland, to the fire-breathing, high-ranging passages in “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Benny Goodman. The clarinet has been featured on “Top 