Hi everyone, im not sure what the correct protocol is for joining your forum but im going to start by getting the beers in (_)c (_)c (_)c

My name is Em, nearly 35 and im trying desperately hard to teach myself the B flat clarinet (BTW where do you find the correct symbol on your keyboard ?? ) All my life l have loved the sax and wanted to play, but never found one in my budget. Then about 3 months ago my mum bought me this lovely Lindo clarinet with Rico 1.1/2 reeds and the Abracadabra book which l am developing a passion for now. What a beautiful instrument !!

Blimey isn't it hard though !! I am fortunate that as a child l learnt classical guitar and the ability for reading music has stayed with me, albeit slightly rusty. The teacher l have spoken to locally charges £14 for 30 mins and only block bookings, whilst l realise this is, im sure good value, at this moment in time l have to stick with teaching myself !! As you have probably worked out, l am "stuck".

Lower notes are fine l think l have cracked them in a kinda beginners fashion but l realise practise and more practise is all l probably need. Of which l enjoy immensely, not too sure my neighbours would agree though !!
Its the higher notes from upper B and above, As soon as my thumb covers the 2 holes on the back of my clarinet, well it just isn't happening for me.... Sometimes l get no sound at all and others its ok, but then l try to incorporate it into music and ooooh my word it sounds dreadful. Is it an incorrect embouchure not having a teacher l am resigned to trial and error.

Lastly..... can l apologise if this question has been asked before, l have had a good nosey around your forum and found lots of other answers to my questions and now l just wanted to say hi to everybody.

Thanks

Mintylips

PS do you think l have bitten off more then l can probably chew !!


<Added>

Computer froze.. 2 threads... not a good start lol

Huh?

Where the crap is this beer?!?!? I came in here thinking I was getting a coupon for a REAL beer.

Seeing as how you don't offer anything substantial I recommend that you give up on trying to learn the clarinet and go back to guitar.

In my own experience I have found that the ladies much prefer the clarinet, but you can't play it yet so if you want to score I would suggest the guitar.

Regarding post above^ - what is your problem, atleast she's trying to learn a new instrument, yes it can be hard but it's definatly worth while.

It really does take time and especially getting over the break (above Bb). It's been 7 years since I learned to play clarinet but I still remember just how hard it was at first. It's good that you're learning something new, despite your age. Don't worry lol my band director is just now learning to play guitar. Btw there isn't a symbol for Bb on the keyboard, so you just have to type a capital B and a lowercase b. If you need any help with anything just ask.

-Ash

The Break? I have been playing professionally for 28 years and have never needed to go over the break. That's pure nonsense.

There was supposed to be beer. You can probably understand my reaction if you look at the disappointment I was feeling, then try to feel it for yourself.

Just keep trying. Push the buttons and blow real hard. That's what makes a person truly great.

GO FOR IT!

Regarding above^- okay i'm trying to be nice here, but you're just plain mean- would it help if i clarified over the break as above Bb on the staff? I may not have as much experience as you do (only 7 years, not the 28 years that you claim to have), but even i know everyone has to go over the break in order to play more than 1 octave.

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- 'over the break' can also be considered as the trasition from the lower register to the higher register

All I can think to tell you is that you have to tighten your lower lib in your embouchure (pull your lip nice and tight), and blow strong, put lots of air in and you should get sound out, squeaks or no. Also, I have been playing for 5 years not and I started on a 2 1/5 Rico reed and that helped with my playing. or if none of the things I have mentioned work your muscles might not be able to handle the notes above the break yet (it took a year before I was taught to jump the break) and I understand how are it is. I wish you the best of luck!

Sorry l haven't been back, wasn't impressed with the first reply that l received and therefore didn't hang around to give the rest of you a chance. So apologies Ash and Scratchy. Thanks for your replies. Since posting l do think l have possibly discovered the need for a " tight lip ". Whilst l can now make some of the notes after Bb up to G so far, it is all about practice. I was given money for Christmas from my family to get lessons, l think they are trying to tell me something lol so l am going to start looking around.

And as for the beer, l belong to a bike forum and newbies have to get a round in as they join, so l thought l'd do the same.

BTW Happy New Year everybody and Phil maybe a New Years resolution for you "I will not scare of newbies"

minty

welcome back, then!

I've been reading all about this Phil guy and he is definitely a douche.

He thinks he is the best clarinet player in the world but he can't even play 16th notes. And from the looks of it here, he can't play over the break either. He's trying to make himself feel better about being the biggest loser on the planet.

We don't all act that way. Just this walking anus.

If im honest we have one or two similar characters on our bike forum, l imagine they are part and parcel of most forurms irrelevant of the topic. Do you have moderators here that get involved ??

I was just reading the other thread that a newbie has started regarding help, its a comforting thought though, that the majority of people unwittingly share the same troublesome difficulties as me. You guys must get slightly perplexed at the amount of people coming through asking for help. I have found alot of info here and on the web..... a teacher is deffo the answer though l reckon.