• Trill and Tremolo Tips for Clarinetists

    Confession time: I’m not a big fan of trills and tremolos. Something about seeing them brings me right back to middle school, when it was often a competition to see who could fit the most notes into the designated amount of time. Thankfully, my technique today is much better than it was in middle school, and I’ve also developed a few tips to help make trills and tremolos easier and dare I say…fun? First things first – what’s the difference between a trill and a tremolo? A trill moves between two stepwise notes (half or whole steps), and a tremolo moves between any two notes (not stepwise). Now that we’ve…

  • 21-Day Clarinet Discovery Challenge

    If you’re like many clarinetists this past year, your motivation to practice probably experienced its fair share of ups and downs. While this is certainly understandable, it can be difficult to become motivated and inspired to begin practicing and trying to achieve your musical goals. This is why I’ve decided to create a 21-day clarinet discovery challenge – to help you discover (or rediscover) your favorite pieces, players, and other sources of musical inspiration. Each day, you’ll be given a new prompt to explore and research so you can learn more about the clarinet. Many of these challenges take place outside the practice room, but some challenges invite you to…