I feel inferior to those who are better clarinet players than me..help?

I can relate. I'm gay and I was a music major (sax/oboe). I went to a school well-known for its music program and there were lots of people who were better performers than me. At the time, I also lived in the closet and hated the fact that I'm gay.

Know what happened? After graduation, I became an incredible teacher. My students excelled and when I would run into old classmates at auditions, my students would blow theirs out of the water. I attribute this to the fact that I had to work harder just to keep up with my better-playing classmates. I learned how to practice effectively and I passed this knowledge on to my students. They might have been better players, but I've sent at least one student to all-states nearly every year since I got my high school job—and not one of them can claim the same. Hell, there are STILL high schoolers who play their instruments better than I do (even after a Master's degree), but I excel at teaching and I have touched the lives of hundreds of young people, most of whom still consider music to be an integral part of their lives, and many who chose music as a career.

I also learned not to be ashamed to be gay. I wish this had happened while I was still in college and looked good, but it happened later, after my looks had faded. Being gay is just who I am and I can't change it any more than I can change my bald head. Sure, I could buy a toupée, but that's not who I really am, and I have no desire to try to be something I'm not. I learned to love myself and you can too. If there is any advice I can give you, it is to search deep inside yourself and pick out & embrace those parts of you that make you unique, things that make you proud to be you.

Young adulthood is tough, but you don't need to make it tougher on yourself by being down on yourself. Find things that you love about yourself and concentrate on those. I wish you the best.

You need to learn to accept and love your self the way you are. This will bust your self esteem and will surely help you with your performance. If we are not happy in our own skin we can not give the best of our selves.

About the Mechanical issues on your technique, practice SLOWLY, not what you already know to do but those technical difficulties, SLOWLY is the best way to train the fine muscles to respond to the commands your brain is sending. Remember the execution of the voice or any other instrument happens after the internal process happened... Meaning your brain needs to work it out first then your body.

I hope this helps

Pro music is just about impossible... there's always some kid who's better than you are. And there's not too many jobs anymore with recorded music being around everywhere.

About the only thing you can do is try to have fun with the music - just for yourself - and try to make a few bucks with it if you can. I imagine you're doing piano too?

Low self-esteem is just about universal with musicians. You're in a tough racket. And to whatever degree possible you've got to cut yourself some slack.

Why would you major in clarinet. That is a complete and utter waste of an education. I hope you realize you just wasted your shoot at expanding your cognitive ability and becoming enlightened. I'm surprised you haven't curled up in the fetal position and shriveled up out of pure despair from pondering your pathetic existence.