What you need to start playing
Benefits of playing a musical instrument
What age should you start?
Adult Students
Am I musical?
The Parent's role
Practice routine
How to encourage your child to practise
How much practise should be done?
Practise Ideas
How practise works i.e. how the brain and body learns
Make an appointment with your practise
Set a specific amount of practise
First we make our habits and then our habits make us
How to practise
Musicianship i.e. “Hand /Ear” coordination
Theory
Playing in groups
Exams
Individual or Group Lessons
What you need to get started
The Teacher
What to expect from a teacher
Finding a Teacher
Buying an instrument
Tutor Books
Scales and Arpeggios
Mouthpieces, Ligatures and Reeds
Other Accessories
Neckstraps
Music Stand
Metronome
Care of your clarinet
Care of your saxophone
Servicing of the instrument

What you need to start playing.

What’s involved in learning a musical instrument?

I. The Instrument - You need a good quality instrument. Not all instruments are created equal. There are poor, average and good quality instruments. The only ones to play are the good quality instruments.
II. The Tutor Book - You need a great tutor book.
III. The Teacher - You need a great teacher.
IV. The Practice - Then all you need to do is - only practise on the days that you eat! In other words play everyday.

Benefits of playing a musical instrument

Learning a musical instrument develops

· Self-esteem
· Self-discipline
· Emotional and physical awareness
· Concentration
· Intelligence
· Thinking Skills
· Memory
· Goal setting
· Group skills
· A life long hobby
· Fulfilment through achievement
· Love and enjoyment of music and music making

What age should you start?

For Clarinet and Saxophone, depending on the size, an appropriate age to start is 9 or 10. Before this age a child can take part in early childhood music education, sing in choirs and learn the recorder.

Adult Students

Yes, adults can learn too! Many adults are unsure of their ability to learn in their “mature” years, but any doubts should be put aside. I have taught many adults over the years. Remember anything is possible with the right attitude and enough practice!

Am I musical?

Humans are all genetically hard-wired for music and we all have the ability to create music. The difference between people’s musical ability is a matter of degrees. An appropriate analogy is running - everyone can run but some people are faster runners than others because of their mental and physical aptitude for running. The fact that some people are faster runners, does not mean the slower runners shouldn’t run. What’s important is not how fast or slow you run, but the satisfaction that you get out of the process.

The best way to find out your degree of musicality, is to learn a musical instrument. Just as the best way to find out if you can run is to run!

With enough practice you can do anything!

In all the years that I have taught clarinet and sax (over 20 so far!), the students who can organise themselves to do regular practice gain the most satisfaction, regardless of their starting point – it is the process of learning an instrument and the progress made, that is satisfying.

So the key question is not am I musical or not, it is whether practise will be done or not. Can you organise your time well enough to ensure that you practise regularly?

The Parent's role

The parent’s support is essential for the musical development of their children. When the parent takes a keen interest in their child’s musical education, the child will flourish. There are 3 areas the parent can help:

· Practice routine
· Support and encouragement
· Getting the best teacher and equipment

Practice routine

“First we make our habits and then our habits make us”

The most important role the parent has, is to help the student develop the practise habit. Once the habit is established, a virtuous cycle is created of practice – improvement – satisfaction – enjoyment – so more practice – so more improvement – so more satisfaction – so more enjoyment – so more practice etc, etc, etc…….

Most children, including teenagers and even adults, will procrastinate over their practice. As a parent you need to set the practice routine so that your child is encouraged and motivated to practise everyday. Most children aren’t aware that it takes regular practise to be able to play an instrument, somehow they think that by turning up to lessons once a week they will magically gain all the skills to enable them to play. It needs to be set out very clearly that daily practise is required when learning an instrument.

The parent becomes a personal trainer, helping and guiding the practice, encouraging and motivating and ensuring that it gets done. This has to be done very sensitively and in a positive way. It is the parent’s responsibility to make sure that the practice is done. Many parents will blame the child for not doing their practice, but the reality is that many children don’t have the emotional maturity to develop and maintain a consistent practice routine without their parent’s encouragement and support. Remember the parent is their child’s personal trainer!

How to encourage your child to practise

“In order to make a donkey go forward you need a carrot in front and a stick behind.”

The best way to encourage and motivate your child to practise is a reward system.

The Carrot: One idea is to have a practice calendar and they can place a sticker or mark each day that they practise. At the end of each specified period, such as a week or month, if the agreed practice has been done, they get a reward. This is simple goal setting and through this process your child will learn the benefit of doing daily practice and have the satisfaction of achieving a goal and most of all (in their eyes), getting the reward.

The Stick: Another idea (to be used in conjunction with the “carrot”) is to link their practice to something that they really want, preferably something addictive like TV or computer games. Make it clear that they can play the Playstation, watch TV etc, etc, etc only once they have done their practice.

“You can eat an elephant – you just got to do it one bite at a time”

Remember that all goals are achieved by taking lots of small steps. Learning a musical instrument is no different, it’s the routine of doing daily practise, the small steps, that take us to great heights.

How much practise should be done?

The amount of time it takes to make great progress is very small - for a beginner 20 minutes, an intermediate player 30 minutes and an advanced player 45 – 60 minutes. If you aim to pick up the instrument once a day and start playing, the practice will be over before you know it.

One of the biggest barriers to practising, is the process of getting the instrument out. For the younger player the procedure of opening the case, putting the instrument together, can be made into a great excuse not to bother practising. But this is only an excuse. It only takes between 30 – 45 seconds to organise the instrument, hardly a great length of time!

Practise Ideas

The most important thing that a student can bring to learning a musical instrument is their ability to PRACTISE! Remember “99% of genius is perspiration, the other 1% is inspiration”.

Only practise on the days that you eat! i.e. everyday. Right from the first day, the student should practise daily.

Why? Because this is the only way to make progress and without improvement the fun and satisfaction goes out of playing. Musicians are like athletes. Athletes spend far more time training than they do running races and their training programmes consist of a variety of activities to develop their fitness. Musicians need to train in the same way, spending time developing their playing fitness so they can play music with ease.

How practise works i.e. how the brain and body learns

The more times you do something the better you get at it. That’s how the brain works. Each time you repeat an action your brain records that information making the next time easier. Each time that you repeat the action you are building on the past experiences of that action. The more repeats, the better you get, so it becomes easier, to get better.

If you practise daily, it doesn’t take that long to get into a virtuous cycle:
You practise – you get better – playing becomes easier – you enjoy it more – so you practise more - you get better – playing becomes easier – you enjoy it more – so you practise more – etc, etc, etc

Make an appointment with your practise

Just as you do for other things in your life, make an appointment with your practise. Set a regular time to do your practise and keep to that time.
I think practise is best done in the morning, if you possibly can. If morning practise is possible, you don’t have to worry about doing it for the rest of the day.

Set a specific amount of practise.

Set an alarm to go after you have done 30 minutes of practise for example. This allows you to stop clock watching and get on with it.
Remember –

“First we make our habits and then our habits make us”

i.e. if you can make practising a habit, then the practising habit will make you into a great player.

How to practise

Have a practise plan so it is clear what you need to practise. Your teacher will help you develop this. The key to practising is repetition. When you make a mistake, stop and repeat the section slowly as many times it takes to get it right. This may be once or more than 10 times. When practising, play small sections at a time, rather than the whole piece. When you play small sections of a piece you are more able to establish what is wrong than when playing the whole piece.

“When practising stop at every mistake and fix it. When performing stop at nothing.”

For a more extensive explanation on how to practise click on the following link - Practise Techniques

Musicianship i.e. “hand / ear” coordination

Musicianship skills are essential for playing. Musicianship is the ability to hear, recognise and identify the elements of music. Developing strong “hearing skills” will help coordinate the hands with the ear. Just as a sportsperson needs highly developed hand/eye coordination, a musician needs highly developed hand/ear co-ordination to play successfully.

Musicianship is developed through listening, singing and clapping - essentially using the body as the instrument. After musicianship skills have been developed, it is “just” a matter of learning the specific technique of the instrument. The better the musicianship skills, the better the musician, the better the music.

Theory

Theory is the ability to read and understand written music. Musicians need to instantly transform the written notes into music. This is a process that often takes many years to develop, but the more time spent studying the way music in written, the faster and stronger this skill is acquired.

At the beginners level, there are 2 main aspects that need to be learnt:
1. Rhythm reading – understanding note duration.
2. Note name reading – knowing the note letter names and the corresponding fingering on the instrument.

Once these 2 basic elements have been achieved, an understanding of the following is possible:

Rhythmic pattern recognition
Melodic pattern recognition
Harmonic pattern recognition

The key to reading music is pattern recognition.

Playing in groups

Music is a team sport! It’s more fun in groups. It’s in groups that you will learn some of the most important musicianship skills. So join a band, play duets with a friend, go busking with a friend, form a trio, ask your teacher to play duets, play in the school concert and jazz bands. Immerse yourself in music.

Exams

Exams are good for students who want a specific goal to work towards.

How do they work? – Students play 3 prepared pieces (2 with piano and 1 solo), play specified scales from memory, play an unprepared piece (i.e. sightreading) and are given aural tests. The student receives a report with comments and marks for their performance. The report gives the student an objective snapshot of where they are up to at that given time. This can be helpful to enlighten the student on how they are fairing and what they need to work on.

Preparing for an exam

Students should start preparing for an exam a minimum of 9 months before the exam. In that time they must learn their 3 pieces, learn the scales from memory, practise sightreading skills, and develop their aural awareness. There is a lot of work to get though in each lesson. For the more advanced grades (i.e. Grade 5 – 8) it is advisable for the student to go specialist aural training lessons. In these advanced grades there is so much to get through, that there is often not time to do justice to all aspects of the exam. By taking aural training lessons it can alleviate the pressure, and help the student score the best marks possible.

For more information on exams download “These Music Exams” by Clara Taylor from www.abrsm.org/resources/theseMusicExams.pdf

Individual or Group Lessons

Individual lessons are far better than group lessons. All students are so different that it is very difficult to cater to the individual needs of each student in a group lesson. Even in an individual lesson there is barely enough time for the teacher to cover all that’s required.

The beginning stage is the most important, as the student’s technical foundations are being established. If these fundamental techniques are established incorrectly it is very difficult (but not impossible) to correct them at a later stage. It’s vital to get them right. In a group lesson there is not the time to sufficiently help each student attain the fundamentals correctly. In individual lessons, the teacher can guide the student more closely, taking time to ensure the fundamentals are developed correctly.

It’s a sad myth that a student should start in group lessons to “ see how they go”. Generally all that is achieved is poor playing skills which prevents the student from reaching their potential and enjoying their instrument fully. So, if at all possible, take individual lessons rather than group ones and you will be a far better player. And better players have more fun!

What you need to get started

A Great Teacher Find a Teacher
A Great Tutor Book Music Factory Tutor Books
A Great Instrument Instruments For Sale
A box of reeds – Accessories page
Good quality ones of course eg Vandorens. I recommend a beginner starts on No. 2 reeds and relatively quickly moves onto no. 2.5 and then on to no. 3’s. So after 3 months most of my students are using at least no. 2.5’s if not no. 3 reeds.
A Reedguard Accessories page
A Music Stand Accessories page

The Teacher

I have always thought that a student “learns the teacher’ as much as they learn the particular instrument. It’s the relationship between the teacher and student that makes or breaks the learning process. With a good teacher, any subject is interesting. So the teacher is really one of the most important ingredients in learning, hence the importance of finding a great teacher.

What to expect from a teacher

· enthusiasm for the instrument and music
· sensitivity to the students needs and aspirations
· ability to “connect” with the student
· capacity to care and be kind to the student
· patience
· be a good player
· teaching experience
· qualifications
· knowledge of teaching practise
· ability to demand strong technique from their students
· high standards and expectations of the students
· strong knowledge of appropriate repertoire
· ability to teach theory and ear training (musicianship)

Finding a Teacher

Find a Teacher - go to Music Factory's Find a Teacher Find a Teacher
Word of mouth - Ask around and find someone who can recommend a good teacher
Music Store – call your local music store to ask for recommendations
School Music Teacher – ask your school music teacher

Buying an instrument Buying an instrument

Tutor Books Music Factory Tutor Books

Scales and Arpeggios

Scales and arpeggios are the building blocks of music, they are what music is made of, it’s bricks and mortar. They also help you gain technical control of the instrument. There is a big difference between mastering your instrument and mastering a number of pieces. By knowing your scales and arpeggios from memory, you will be able to play any type of music, be it classical, jazz, pop or rock.

Mouthpieces, Ligatures and Reeds

The mouthpiece, ligature and reed are the most important parts of a clarinet or saxophone, this is the tone-generating department of the instrument. The tone will be greatly improved by getting the best mouthpiece, ligature and reed available. The mouthpieces that come with a clarinet or sax are student level mouthpieces. Even the most expensive instruments are issued with a standard mouthpiece.

If you upgrade your mouthpiece to the professional level, there will be a significant improvement in your tone. The same applies for the ligature (the ligature attaches the reed onto the mouthpiece) and the reed. The following is the mouthpiece, ligature and reed combinations that I recommend. There are other brands of mouthpieces, ligatures and reeds but these are the ones that I have found to be the best (other teachers and players will recommend others, as these choices are based on individual tastes).

For Clarinet

Mouthpiece: Selmer (Paris) CP100 122

Ligature: Vandoren Optimum
or Bonade (although the Bonade is a great ligature the Vandoren Optimum is far superior)

Reeds: Vandoren Classic Clarinet accessories

For Sax

Mouthpiece: Selmer S80 C* Hard Rubber
or Meyer Hard Rubber No. 6

Ligature: Vandoren Optimum
or Bonade (although the Bonade is a great ligature the Vandoren Optimum is far superior)

Reeds: Vandoren Java (the Java’s are superior)
Or Rico Royal Sax accessories

Other Accessories

Reedguard – protects the reed when not in use and keeps it flat (very important). Holds 4 reeds. Highly recommended, especially for young players.

Thumb-rest cushion (for clarinet) - $5.00 – Helps soften the pressure on the right-hand thumb, from the weight of the clarinet. Another alternative is a small (25mm long) piece of plastic hosepipe (generally 8mm diameter) which is slipped onto the thumb-rest – my recommendation.

Neckstraps

For sax, the neckstraps that come with saxophones are thin and uncomfortable. I strongly recommend the use of a Neotech neckstrap, which are made of wide neoprene (wetsuit material) with elastic which lightens the load around your neck. This will make a big difference to your comfort while playing. Sax accessories

For clarinet, I don’t recommend the use of a neckstrap for clarinet as it tends to draw the clarinet closer to the body. But sometimes they are necessary for players who suffer from excessive thumb strain. The Neotech strap is the best. Clarinet accessories

Music Stand

A music stand is an absolute essential, as every musician needs somewhere to put their music! If the student is having to prop the music up on a table or mantle piece it will never be at the correct height and the students posture will suffer as a result. Accessories page

Metronome

A metronome is a great device that helps you play in time. Highly recommended. Accessories page

Care of your clarinet

What the student should do after each use
1. After playing, it’s important to remove the build up of moisture from the bore of the instrument caused by condensation. Using a pull-though (an absorbent cloth attached to a long string with a weighted end) swab out the instrument. If too much excess moisture is left in the instrument, it will reduce the life of the pads. I don’t recommend pad savers as they keep the moisture inside the instrument.
2. With another cloth, dry the tenon joints, also removing any grease.
3. A soft cloth can be used to polish the keys.
4. Remove the reed and place in a reedguard.
5. Always return the instrument to its case after use and fasten the lid.

What the student should do periodically
1. Keep corks lightly greased, to allow for easy assembly of the clarinet.
2. Clean the mouthpiece once a week in cold water with a small amount of detergent. DON’T USE HOT WATER, as it can deteriorate the mouthpiece material.
3. A small paintbrush can be used to remove any dust from under the keys.
4. Get the instrument serviced by a reputable instrument service technician. This should be done as required. Get your teacher to check the instrument regularly.

What the teacher should do periodically
1. Lightly oil the keywork.
2. Clean the toneholes with a small tonehole brush or matchstick.
3. I do not recommend oiling the bore of a wooden clarinet.
4. Check if the clarinet is playing 100%.

I don’t recommend buying a “packaged” cleaning kit, as they are a waste of money. Most of the items in them are of limited use to the student.

Care of your saxophone

What the student should do after each use:
1. After playing, it’s important to remove the build up of moisture from the bore of the instrument caused by condensation. Using a pull-though (an absorbent cloth attached to a long string with a weighted end) swab out the instrument. If too much excess moisture is left in the instrument, it will reduce the life of the pads. It’s possible to use pad-savers, but I don’t recommend leaving them in the instrument.
2. A soft cloth can be used to polish the keys and the body. Do not use any polishing product to clean the sax.
3. Remove the reed and place in a reedguard.
4. Always return the instrument to its case after use and fasten the lid.

What the student should do periodically
1. When the neck becomes stiff when placing into the body of the sax, using a cloth wipe the tenon joint on the neck and the body of the sax (the tenon is the connecting parts of the sax). This removes any build up of grit, caused by oxidation on the brass. It’s not necessary to grease the tenon joint.
2. Keep the neck cork lightly greased, to allow for easy assembly.
3. Clean the mouthpiece once a week in cold water with a small amount of detergent. DON’T USE HOT WATER, as it can deteriorate the mouthpiece material.
4. A small paintbrush can be used to remove any dust from under the keys.
5. With a clean soft cloth wipe the body of the saxophone to polish off any marks left by water. (Do not use any polishing compounds).
6. Get the instrument serviced by a reputable instrument service technician. This should be done as required. Get your teacher to check the instrument regularly.

What the teacher should do periodically
1. Lightly oil the keywork.
2. Check if the sax is playing 100%.

I don’t recommend buying a “packaged” cleaning kit, as they are a waste of money. Most of the items in them are of limited use to the student.

Servicing of the instrument

I recommend getting an instrument serviced when required. Your teacher should be able to tell you when the instrument needs attention - on average, once every 2 years, but sometimes it can be worthwhile to service it yearly. There is no definite answer. Your teacher should be able to recommend a competent instrument repairer.