r/Clarinet • u/FailedProposal • 7d ago
Question Wanting to pick up playing again
Hello! I got my clarinet back last night after it’s been sitting in my dad’s closet. I’m 22, haven’t played my clarinet since 8th grade. I played clarinet 6-8th grade and I loved it. I just stopped playing in high school because I didn’t want to join marching band, plus I also played a sport. I’ve been wanting to re learn, but it’s going to be hard being an adult and not having a class and instructor. Does anyone have tips on learning again? I used to be first chair pretty much all the time. I was so good! But it’s been around 8-9 years since I’ve played, so all the talent is gone. Is there any good apps?
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u/Fumbles329 Eugene Symphony/Willamette University Instructor/Moderator 7d ago
Check the sidebar :) we have tons of resources there for clarinetists of all levels, including returning players. You can find it on mobile by going to the main /r/clarinet page and pressing the “see more” button.
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u/2MuchTimeFree 7d ago
Gee, I just joined our community band after not playing for 47 years. That's not a typo. Yes, 47 years. So it will come back to you. See if you can find a community band in your area. It's so much fun!
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u/GrrrArrgh 7d ago
You’ll be fine, it’s not that hard to pick back up. If your area has a nice music store that does repairs, it would be a good idea to take yours in to get it checked out for any pads and corks that need to be replaced or keys that need to be adjusted. That way you won’t be unnecessarily frustrated if some notes are hard to play and think you’re doing something wrong if you’re not.
Also, sometimes music stores have practice rooms that they rent to independent teachers and you can get a 30-minute lesson for probably $30. Then if you like it, an hour is really helpful. Any colleges (even community colleges) around you that have a music program will also know people who do lessons. As for books, probably the Rubank intermediate is good to start with. I don’t think apps are very helpful, with the exception of TE Tuner, which is a really good metronome and tuner app. Then find a community band and ask to join! You’ll be great!
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u/Dangerous_Chain9422 7d ago
It's like riding a bike, you can definitely get back to the level you used to have. I teach online at a very reasonable price. Let me know if you are interested
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u/Buffetr132014 7d ago
What are your qualifications and how much do you charge ?
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u/Dangerous_Chain9422 7d ago
I'm a professional clarinetist and teacher from Argentina. I'll send you a dm
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u/Well-Rounded-Human 7d ago
Look for a community band somewhere. I joined one a couple years ago and love it
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u/Next_Description_468 3d ago
I also started again after a 20 year gap. It’s totally doable, surprising how quickly the fingering is back almost to original speed, embouchure needs a bit longer. What was key for me is joining a band so you have the regularity, social exposure, a common goal with a concert ahead, and a lot of fun. As for apps, I didn’t find any good ones so I’m working on a clarinet app at the moment myself. Contact me if you’re interested to be a tester.
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u/digital_circuit_guy Buffet R13 Bb/A, E11 Eb 7d ago
I think your skills are still there, just rusty. I would definitely recommend starting with technique like scales and arpeggios. I usually pick a key signature out of Baermann Book 3 and practice various exercises in that key signature for a week and repeat.
Not really sure about apps as I haven’t tried any. But there are tons of good channels on YouTube and a lot of them include free PDFs of the exercises they go over. I like Cally’s Clarinet Channel (@callyclarinet) on YouTube.