The Ultimate List of Clarinet Method Books

Clarinetists are #blessed to have so many wonderful pieces and study materials written for us. (It’s no surprise, since we obviously play the best instrument!)

School is just around the corner, which makes this the perfect time to browse this list and order new music for you (or your students)!

I’ve organized these books by topic and focus, and each section is ordered alphabetically by composer’s last name. (Learn more about my T3 approach to clarinet fundamentals.) These books are intended for upper intermediate and advanced players to continue developing clarinet fundamentals. I’ve also linked to several related articles in their respective section for further reading. You can find several of these books for free on IMSLP.

Please note that this list is not intended to be comprehensive. There are countless methods and clarinet books for all levels of playing, and these are my personal favorites and recommendations. Leave a comment below with yours so I can continue to discover new repertoire!

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Tone

• Sauro Berti – Tuning: esercizi di intonazione per strumenti a fiato
• Larry Guy – Intonation Training for Clarinetists
• Jenny Maclay (yours truly) – I Love Long Tones
• Eva Wasserman-Margolis – Time for Tone

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Technique

• Ernesto Cavallini – 30 Caprices
• Kristen Denny-Chambers – Finger Fitness Études for Clarinet & Auxiliary Clarinets
• Kristen Denny-Chambers – Prep Steps Before You Kroepsch
• Giovanni Battista Gambaro – 22 Progressive Studies
• Paul Jeanjean – Vade-Mecum du Clarinettiste (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Hyacinthe Klosé – Daily Exercises and Technical Studies from the Celebrated Method for the Clarinet
• Fritz Kroepsch – 416 Progressive Daily Studies for the Clarinet (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Gaetano Labanchi – 35 Studies for Clarinet
• Jean-Xavier Lefèvre – 60 Exercises for Clarinet
• Kalmen Opperman – Velocity Studies
• Auguste Périer – 331 Exercises Journaliers de Mechanisme (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Cyrille Rose – 40 Studies
• Alfred Uhl – 48 Studies

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Articulation

• Reginald Kell – 17 Staccato Studies (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Reginald Kell – Clarinet Staccato from the Beginning
• Jenny Maclay (yours truly) – I Love Articulation
• Robert Stark – Daily Staccato Exercises   

I’ve written a few articles about clarinet articulation you might find helpful – The Complete Guide to Clarinet Articulation and Clarinet Articulation Troubleshooting.

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Scales

• Carl Baermann – Complete Method for the Clarinet, Op. 63 (3^rd Division) (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Avrahm Galper – Clarinet Scales and Arpeggios
• Gaston Hamelin – Gammes et Exercices pour la clarinette
• Rudolf Jettel – School for Clarinet, Vol. 2 (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Jenny Maclay (yours truly) – I Love Scales
• Gabriel Parès – Daily Exercises and Scales for Clarinet
• Emile Stiévenard – Practical Study of the Scales (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Hyacinthe Klosé – Scales and Exercises from the Celebrated Method for the Clarinet (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Robert Stark – Daily Studies (Scales, Arpeggios, and Intervals) for the Clarinet

You might also find my Complete Guide to Scales helpful.

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Études 

• Eugène Bozza – 11 Études Sur Des Modes Karnatiques 
• Kristen Denny-Chambers – Finger Fitness Études
• Sylvie Hue – 18 Folk Études
• Paul Jeanjean – 18 Études for the Clarinet
• Béla Kovács – Hommages
• Jacques Lancelot – 25 Études Faciles et Progressives
• Johann Müller – 22 Clarinet Études
• Victor Polatschek – 12 Études for Clarinet
• Cyrille Rose –32 Études

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Orchestral Excerpts

• Benjamin Baron – The Audition Method for Clarinet, Vol. 1, Concepts & Interpretations by Mark Nuccio
• Peter Hadcock – The Working Clarinetist

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Extended Technique

(Check out my article on extended clarinet resources to learn more about this subject.)

• Eugène Bozza – Graphismes: Preparation for the reading of different contemporary musical graphic notations
• Andy Hudson and Robert Zare – Elements of Contemporary Clarinet Technique

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Miscellaneous

• Marcel Bitsch – 12 Études de rythme (I’ve made a Boot Camp for this!)
• Thomas Filas – Altissimo Studies for Clarinet
• Avrahm Galper – Tone, Technique, and Staccato
• Kornel Wolak – Embouchure Drills for Clarinet

If you’re looking to explore other musical styles, check out my list of clarinet methods in diverse musical styles.

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If you’re looking for books about the clarinet, check out my list of books every clarinetist should have on their bookshelf (and the sequel).

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Leave a comment below with your favorite clarinet method books! Happy practicing!