Guide To Teaching The Clarinet

GUIDE TO TEACHING THE CLARINET
By Robyn Habel 2016
1) Why Play the Clarinet
The clarinet has a beautiful sound.

Clarinet is one of the featured instruments in concert bands, marching bands,
orchestras, woodwind ensembles, and jazz bands.
Clarinet is not hard to learn.
Once you can play clarinet it is easy to learn to play the saxophone.
Clarinet is light and easy to carry.
2) Parts of the Clarinet

Mouthpiece / Ligature/ Reed
Barrel
Upper joint
Lower joint
Bell
Keys
3) Assembly and Maintenance
Before you play:

Assemble the mouth piece: with the ligature already around the mouthpiece,
slide the thick end of the reed under the ligature and align the tip of the reed
with the tip of the mouthpiece. Tighten the ligature screws to hold the reed
firmly in place, but not too tight.
If the corked joints of the clarinet are dry, rub them with some cork grease.
Then assemble the pieces from the bottom to the top: join the bell and lower
joint, then add upper joint, then the barrel, then the mouth piece.
Wet your reed with your mouth before you play.
Use softer reeds when you begin to learn, between sizes 1 and 2.5. You can
use harder reeds as you progress.
After you play:

When you have finished playing, put the cap on the mouth piece and remove
it from the body of the clarinet
Clean the clarinet using your swab. Drop the weighted end the string through
the clarinet and then pull the cloth through to absorb the moisture.
Remove your reed from your mouth piece and place it in your reed holder.
Disassemble the clarinet.
Place it in the case.
4) How to Play the Clarinet
Holding the clarinet:
o The clarinet should be held away from your body, at a 45 degree angle.
Keep your head up and your back straight.
o The clarinet should be held with your right hand on the lower joint, with
your thumb under the thumb-rest on the back of the lower joint. Your
other three fingers should rest on the three corresponding keyholes.
o Your left hand should hold the instrument on the upper joint. Your
thumb should rest on the octave key on the back of the instrument.
Your other three fingers will rest on the three main keys on the bottom
of the upper joint.
o When your fingers are not in use, keep them very close to the holes to
make it easier for them to get to the keys when they are needed.
Playing notes on the clarinet:
o The use of your facial muscles and the shaping of your lips to the
mouthpiece of the clarinet is known as your embouchure (see below).
o Put your upper teeth firmly on the top of the mouthpiece.
o Place the lower lip slightly over the lower teeth.
o Seal the lips around the mouthpiece; make them firm.
o Point the chin and firm up the corners of the mouth.
o Keep the lips firm while opening the mouth slightly.
o Don't bite down on the mouthpiece.
o Blow a fast stream of air from your diaphragm.
o Keep your cheeks tight, don’t puff them out.
o Work for a steady, even tone.
o Tongue the reed to articulate individual notes.
Embouchure:
o TIP! Say the word ‘whee’, then while still holding the side muscles of
your mouth in the ‘smile’ shape’, bring your mouth muscles together to
say the word ‘too’. This is the shape of your embouchure.
Tuning:
o Tune the clarinet to the rest of the band by moving the barrell out of the
upper joint by just a few millimetres. Lengthening the clarinet will make
it flatter, shortening it will make it sharper.
5) Clarinet Fingering Chart
6) Range/Tuning
It is possible to play higher than the range indicated here, but this is the most
common range
The clarinet is a Bb instrument, therefore every note written for the clarinet
sounds a tone lower.
7) Rent or buy
Here are some websites where you can hire or buy clarinets:
Size Music: size.com.au ($85 for 3 months)
Music Corp: www.musiccorp.com.au ($33 month, for 6 months)
Winston Music: www.winstonmusic.com.au/rental
Presto Music: prestomusicalrepairs.com
8) Resources
Free online sheet music:
o Excellent variety of styles for beginners:
https://www.8notes.com/clarinet/
o Excellent variety of styles for beginners:
http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/clarinet_sheet_music_index.htm
o Beginners through to advanced:
http://www.clarinetinstitute.com/solo-clarinet-music.html
Top Clarinet sheet music downloads at Musicnotes.com
o https://www.musicnotes.com/topdownloads/clarinet.asp
Websites
o http://www.ameb.edu.au/shop/woodwinds/clarinet.html
o http://www.clarinetcloset.com
o http://www.the-clarinets.net/english/clarinet-instrument.html
o http://www.clarinetmentors.com/resources
o http://www.amromusic.com/clarinet
YouTube clips
o Basic Clarinet Embouchure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_ZWWUctKfs
o How to make a sound on your clarinet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-07AqaF4kDg
Tuition books:
o Sound Innovations for Band (band book)
o Essential Elements for Band (band book)
o Tradition of Excellence (band book)
o Accent on Achievement (band book)
o Teacher on tap book 1, 2 and 3 (an excellent but fast moving book
written by Australian Richard Percival).
o Learn as you play clarinet (by UK author Peter Wastall).
o Abracadabra Clarinet ( by Jonathan Rutland)
o A tune a day (has just been revamped)
o Progressive Method for Clarinet
Tutors:
o Music Teachers Association
http://mtasa.com.au/
o Music Teachers Online, Clarinet teachers:
http://www.musicteacher.com.au/directory/adelaide-sa/lessons/clarinet/
o Australian music teachers register
http://www.amtr.com.au/Music-Teacher/Adelaide-Clarinet-Music-
Teachers
9) Tunes for beginners:
TOP TEN TIPS FOR PLAYING THE CLARINET!!!
1.Assembly!
Fit your mouth piece last. Use cork grease.
2. Reeds needs!
Have a good supply of reeds at all times, and take care of them.
Dampen your reed before playing.
3. Keep it clean!
Take good care of your clarinet and clean it after every time you
play.
4. Embouchure Power!
Build up your embouchure muscles slowly. Use correct technique. You can
sometimes practice with just the mouth piece and barrel.
5. Posture!
When practising, make sure you're sitting or standing comfortably, with a natural
head position. Don’t let tension creep in.
6. Mirror, mirror!
Practice in front of a mirror to ensure you are using the correct
technique.
7. Practice!
Practice a little and often at first. 15-30 minutes per day.
Be careful, don’t get dizzy from too much blowing.
8. Memorize music!
Memorizing music is good for your brain, helps you play the piece
better, and makes playing music more fun.
9. Listen!
When you play, listen to yourself, listen to the other band members, and listen to
the conductor or director.
10. Have fun!

As well as technical exercises play pieces you enjoy, then you are
more likely to continue practicing and playing.
References:
8 Notes. Accessed October 4, 2016. https://www.8notes.com/clarinet/.
AMEB. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://www.ameb.edu.au/shop/woodwinds/clarinet.html.
Amro Music. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://www.amromusic.com/beginner-clarinets.
Australian Music Teacher Register. Accessed October 4, 2016.
http://www.amtr.com.au/Music-Teacher/Adelaide-Clarinet-Music-Teachers
Basic Clarinet Embouchure. Accessed October 4, 2016.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_ZWWUctKfs
Bentley, Cheryl. Email message to the author October 4, 2016.
Clarinet Closet. Accessed October 4, 2016.
http://www.clarinetcloset.com/tipsforbeginners.html
Clarinet Institute. Accessed October 4, 2016.
http://www.clarinetinstitute.com/solo-clarinet-music.html
Clarinet Mentors. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://www.clarinetmentors.com/resources
How to make a sound on your clarinet. Accessed October 4, 2016.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-07AqaF4kDg
Making Music Fun. Accessed October 4, 2016.
http://makingmusicfun.net/htm/clarinet_sheet_music_index.htm
Music Teachers Association of South Australia. Accessed October 4, 2016.
http://mtasa.com.au/
Music Corp. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://www.musiccorp.com.
Music Notes. Accessed October 4, 2016.
https://www.musicnotes.com/topdownloads/clarinet.asp
Music Teachers Online. Accessed October 4, 2016.
http://www.musicteacher.com.au/directory/adelaide-sa/lessons/clarinet/
Presto Music. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://prestomusicalrepairs.com
Size Music. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://size.com.au
The Clarinets.net. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://www.the-clarinets.net/english/clarinet-
instrument.html
Wikihow. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://www.wikihow.com/Play-the-Clarinet
Wikipedia. Accessed October 4, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarinet
Winston Music. Accessed October 4, 2016. http://www.winstonmusic.com.au/rental

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GUIDE TO TEACHING THE CLARINET

By Robyn Habel 2016

1) Why Play the Clarinet

The clarinet has a beautiful sound.

2) Parts of the Clarinet

Before you play:

After you play:

Playing notes on the clarinet:

10. Have fun!

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