Too late to pick up the clarinet and violin?

CookieMonster.x

I'm 16 and currently in 5th year in school. I have been playing piano since the age of 5 but due to a string of bad teachers I never progressed as I should have and am only on grade 6 now. I have an excellent teacher now who says I have a natural ability and am very good. He thinks I'm wonderful (however I can't see why :P). I love the piano. I got distinction with him in grade 4 and got 87 in grade 5 after only starting 3 months previous to the exam. I had gotten honours in all other grades.
I also play the flute and am doing my grade 5 exam soon. I skipped grade 2 and my teacher says I might r able to skip grade 6 too.
I've said all that to give a bit of background info. Both teachers say I'm excellent at sight reading. My piano teacher gave me a grade 8 piece once and I was able to sight read without hesitation.
I would love to play the clarinet and violin. I was wondering about the practicalities of it. I am due to get a new flute soon and I know it would be expensive to buy a clarinet and violin (however my parents would be prepared if I was interested).
Would it be possible to teach myself the clarinet? Although I'm not sure if I'd actually try in the end.
I hope I don't sound snobby or boastful in this. I just would love to learn the two instruments but I just dont know. I suppose I'm looking for guidance or advice.

What do you think?
Thanks for any help and sorry it's long.

Malice

So you're 16 and you already play the piano and the flute and you think it's too late to pick up the clarinet and the violin? Of course it's not too late! I'm 33 and still thinking about saying "Screw the neighbours" and picking up a drumkit .

One thing that does come to mind is that it might be difficult to find the time to devote to each instrument but considering you can already sight read you should have a solid foundation to build on. After all, a D note is the same regardless of the instrument it's coming out of.

CiaranK

I think what Malice said about giving the same amount of time for each instrument should be considered.

The Clarinet would be easier for you than the violin, i think, as you already play the flute.

The violin is very tricky to master by yourself. You would really need to be told how to hold the instrument properly, The finger positions and the bowing by a teacher.

If I was you I'd get the Clarinet now and see how you get on and then the violin in the future if you are still interested.

Best of luck

CookieMonster.x

Thanks for your replies.
I was thinking about it and I suppose the main thing wold be cost. While I know they wouldn't mind, it would still be a lot of money to buy it and then get lessons. Altogether just for music we would be paying €53 a week. And it is a recession and I have siblings in college.
I was thinking of maybe buying a clarinet myself depending on the price and leaving the violin as I had though the clarinet would be easier.
I have said it to my parents and they seemed ok about it so hopefully!
My main worry is that I find it hard enough to find time to practice my other instruments already and that I may not have the time.
Hopefully I'll be able to learn it. I just think that if I have an interest now why not try it out as there's no point in being sorry in 20 years time when I could have learned it.
Thanks for the input!

Malice

Yeah, cost would definitely be a factor unfortunately. I don't know how much decent violins or decent clarinets cost but I know that my sister has spent thousands over the years on different cellos.

BostonB

I know someone who retired then picked up the violin and has got to grade 5 or 6 so far.

rcaz

Malice wrote: »

After all, a D note is the same regardless of the instrument it's coming out of.

The clarinet's a transposing instrument though :pac:

Go for it OP! You know music, picking up a few new instruments should be no bother! I'd love to learn the clarinet myself some day, it's on my list after viola

-=al=-

Never too late to make some music and learn my good man

CookieMonster.x

Sorry for not replying, thought I had! Thanks for all the advice! I was recently looking at flutes and the woman in the shop told be that the embaucher for the clarinet is totally different so I suppose that rules that out. I would still love to learn the violin but I don't think it's going to happen any time soon. Hopefully in the future!
Thanks for all the help!

goblin59

my dad taught himself how to play the violin, he just spent a few hours a week looking at videos on youtube for the technique on how to hold the bow and for finger positions on the neck.
He's now plays irish music sessions all over Dublin and Fermanagh.

Demeyes

I think you should maybe pick one and see how that goes. You might only need a few lessons to get you started on the right track and you could teach yourself after that. You will already have all the music theory knowledge you'd need so it's all technique you need to learn, youtube should be able to help after you've been shown the basics.
Another thing I've found is you don't need to spend as much time learning new instruments after you have a few different ones learned, you can become competent fairly easily. You will already have great finger dexterity and a well developed ear from the flute and piano, these are big stumbling blocks for beginners so you should find yourself progressing pretty quickly once you get started.

Owen

I'm a Violinist, and definitely echo what people say here about tutoring being vital. Everything from how you hold the instrument and poise your body, to how you bow and the finger placement on the bow will drastically affect your playing ability and tone.

One of the best Violin players I've seen is with the Café Orchestra, he started in his 40's IIRC, and he still blows me away.

If you can, find a Suzuki method teacher, it's the fastest springboard for learning to play.

firefly08

lol when I read the title of the thread I thought you were going to say you were 87. And I was still going to answer "no". 16? Please! By the time you're 18 you'll sound like you've been playing it your whole life.