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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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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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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…
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How to improve a spitty sound on the clarinet
Let’s be honest – not everything about the clarinet is as glamorous as it might seem. One not-so-glamorous aspect of playing the clarinet? Spit! Spit happens, especially to wind players. (At least clarinetists don’t have to worry about a spit valve!) Spitty sounds are caused by – you guessed it – a buildup of saliva on the reed and/or in the mouthpiece. (Note that for the purposes of this article, we will discuss spitty sounds. If your sound is fuzzy or unfocused, here are my tips to help you improve your clarinet tone.) Here are a few reasons you have a spitty sound, with suggestions for improvement: According to the…
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The range and registers of the clarinet
Call me biased, but the clarinet is one of the most versatile instrument in terms of range, dynamics, and much more! Here’s an overview of the range and different registers of the clarinet First, let’s discuss the difference between range and registers. An instrument’s range includes the entire span of notes capable of being produced. A register is a smaller subset of these notes, typically sharing timbral characteristics and tendencies. Here is the soprano clarinet’s working range: As demonstrated in the above photo, the clarinet has quite the range! Spanning nearly 3+ octaves, the clarinet can produce rumbling low notes all the way up to sparkling notes in the stratosphere.…
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Tone, Tuning, Timbre – What’s the Difference?
At first glance, these three concepts might seem interchangeable. To add further confusion, they all begin with the same letter! Here’s a quick overview of how I explain these three concepts to my students: I hope this quick overview helps you to distinguish between tone, tuning, and timbre! Leave a comment below with any input or descriptions you use!
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The life span of a clarinet (and its accessories)
You know what they say – nothing lasts forever, and the clarinet is no different. One of the most common questions I’m asked is “How long does a reed/mouthpiece/ligature/clarinet last?” There are a few different factors affecting this answer, so let’s break it down by item: Now, let’s talk about clarinets: How do you know if your clarinet or accessories are wearing out? As you probably gleaned from reading this article, there is no set timeline for replacing your clarinets or its accessories. It depends on several factors and is unique to each musician. Ultimately, clarinets and accessories get blown out, and these are apparent in the following scenarios. If…