There is a grand totalt of five clarinets where i live, so it isn`t hard getting in to orchestras and so on. But I think it also have the downside of us getting to unmotivated to learn anything. How do you make it worth the while working in getting better if you don`t have to be better?

I use to feel that way until I decided thtat I wanted to teach others my instrument.

If clarinet is unmotivating to play try learning a new instrument along with playing your clarinet.

For me that was what kept me motivated during the summers...trying to find out why this instrument differs so much from my clarinet and then trying to master it to my best knowledge.

Such as?

Saxophone and flute are the most common instruments for clarinetists to double on, but play whatever takes your fancy. Piano is excellent for improving your music theory knowledge. You will probably find another woodwind instrument easier to get started on with your clarinet background, but like I said, play what you want to play.

Anything? Like the basson? I`ve allways loved both the basson and the oboe, only one problem, they don`t seem to exist anywhere.

Well, apparently the oboe is more difficult than the bassoon. I wouldn`t know as I don`t play either. But they are both beautiful instruments, plus there aren`t many oboe or bassoon players so you`ll be a rarity! Good luck with whatever you decide.

If you`re going for the doubling up on instruments, I highly suggest playing a brass instrument, although it does use different facial muscles. But I totally know what you`re saying. Sometimes, you`ll go through a horribly boring stage on your instrument. Like I`ve been playing piano since I was 8, and it got pretty boring around the 2-years stage, and that`s when I started clarinet, in middle school. In my freshman year of high school, my schedule did not allow for me to be in the advanced band, so I had to stay in the freshman band in which I was consistently bored, so I played the french horn, and quickly became better than the other freshman hornists. Sometimes you just need another instrument to get you through those boring times.

Another way is to try to teach yourself. I`ve never had a teacher on clarinet, and it`s been fun and challenging and it motivated me a lot to practice and learn new things, because I knew that I wouldn`t have anyone to teach it to me. As a result, I`ve gone to All State Band and things.

Last, you can listen to some of the clarinet`s great music. I don`t exactly have a list...sorry. But my little brother just started middle school and he`s playing trumpet. He isn`t as anxious to learn music, so I try to have listening time with him every Monday and Thursday so he can see what the possibilities are if he decides to become more serious about music and actually get into it. He`s starting to have more appreciation for music.

Anyway, I hope my suggestions are of some help. Good luck.
-Jackie

Whoah, that`s kind of long. Haha, I apologize.

Brass? I can`t see the reason to why brass. Personally I can`t even sound in brass instruments. I think that if you`re a reed player you should keep to reed instruments.
Plus, I think trumpet of some reason is a really hard instrument to really master. My best friend has been playing for seven years now and still have problems with sound.