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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…
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Around the World in Eighty Pieces – #5 Liechtenstein
Welcome to my new series, Around the World in Eighty Pieces! I’m excited to combine my love of travelling and clarinet repertoire by sharing a clarinet composition I “discovered” in each country. This series is not meant to be a comprehensive overview of the clarinet music from each country; rather, this is an appetizer to ignite your curiosity to learn more about the music, repertoire, and clarinet cultures of each place. I love learning about other clarinet music from around the world, so please contact me or leave a comment with other pieces you would like to share. Liechtenstein is a micronation in Europe with a population of close to forty thousand (and about…
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Proper Ligature Placement on the Clarinet
Ligatures play an important role in any clarinetist’s life – they hold the reed on the mouthpiece! But did you know that ligature placement can affect your sound and response? Read on for more photos and information to ensure you are using proper ligature placement while playing clarinet. (Before continuing, you should check out my Complete Guide to Clarinet Ligatures. I’ve also linked other relevant articles at the bottom of this one.) Proper ligature placement The ligature should be placed under the filed or unfiled portion of the reed. (Pro tip: An easy way to differentiate the two is that unfiled have the U-shape, so you can remember U for…
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Have Clarinet, Will Travel: Essential Tips for Travelling with Your Clarinet
It’s no secret that I love to travel! I’ve travelled around the world (40 countries and counting!) for concerts and recitals. Along the way, I’ve picked up several tips and tricks to make travelling with your clarinet(s) smoother and stress-free. (Psst! I mostly travel with my B-flat and A clarinets. If you’re travelling with a bass clarinet, check out this excellent article from the International Clarinet Association.) Here are my top tips to travelling with a clarinet Air travel Once you’ve reached your destination General advice Bon voyage!
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Transform Your Clarinet Tone: The Ultimate Troubleshooting Guide
One of the most important things musicians have to offer is their tone. Your tone is your musical voice, which is why it’s important to work on developing your absolute best sound. I’ve written a few articles and resources before on this subject (such as How to Improve Your Clarinet Tone and Sculpt Your Sound Workbook). Today, I want to share a troubleshooting guide to help you identify possible tone issues and how to resolve them. Let’s get started! Use the table below to find your tone issues in the left column and suggested troubleshooting tips in the right column. If your tone… Then try… lacks focus/sounds fuzzy using faster…
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Quick Fix Friday: Listen before you look
Happy Friday! If you’re trying to improve your listening skills (for pitch and/or rhythm), there’s one important thing you need to do… Listen before your look at the tuner or metronome! Instead of constantly looking at your tuner or metronome, take a few seconds to listen to yourself. How do you think your pitch is? Is it sharp? Flat? By how much? For rhythm, are you lining up with the metronome? Are you rushing? Slowing down? Once you’ve listened and answered these questions, look at your tuner or met. Were your answers close to the results you see? By listening to yourself before looking at external sources (aka your tuner…
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How to avoid popped attacks on clarinet
Imagine this – you’re standing on stage, the lights are dimmed, and you’re ready to play your first entrance when… A sharp spike in the sound ruins the moment you’ve been practicing! Popped attacks are unfortunately very common on the clarinet. These can be frustrating, but these can be avoided with these tips. First up, what causes popped attacks? These are the most common causes of popped attacks, but keep in mind that there might be other factors which can contribute to popped attacks on the clarinet. Now that we know some causes of popped attacks, here are some tips to avoid popped attacks on clarinet: You might also like…
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Debunking Popular Clarinet Reed Myths
I’ve been on a reed kick lately. As I was writing my last article, The Complete Guide to Clarinet Reeds, I realized that there are several reed myths which are still being perpetuated. My mission? To debunk these popular clarinet reed myths! Myth: The harder the reed, the better the player. Truth: Don’t let anyone reed-shame you! Reed strength is chosen according to your mouthpiece. A closer tip opening = harder reeds, whereas a more open tip = softer reeds. Most clarinetists begin playing on a strength 2 or 2.5 reed and move up to 3 when they get above the staff. Once they are comfortable playing in all registers,…
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The Complete Guide to Clarinet Reeds
Let me begin with an unorthodox yet effective introductory quote from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” If you prefer something more succinct, allow me to paraphrase Forrest Gump: “Life is like a box of reeds – you never know what you’re going to get!” I’ve created this Complete Guide to Clarinet Reeds as a resource to help clarinetists of…
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Don’t put this one thing in your clarinet case
To be fair, there are several things you probably shouldn’t put in your clarinet case – sticky food, beverages in non-leakproof containers, glitter… But there is one clarinet item you should be cautious about keeping in your clarinet case: A new mouthpiece! There are a few layers to this statement – you should not keep a new clarinet mouthpiece in your case if you have a clarinet with silver keys. This is due to the sulfur in hard rubber mouthpieces reacting to the silver in the keys. (You can read a short blurb about this chemical reaction on Michael Lowenstern’s website.) Here’s is a photo of a clarinet which has…