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Ways to reduce lower lip pain when playing clarinet
(Updated January 21, 2025) Sometimes, playing clarinet can be a pain in the….lips. Some clarinetists may experience pain in their lower lip due to extended pressure and contact with the lower teeth. Although this is normal, you don’t have to play with pain. You’ll be happy to know that there are several ways to help alleviate this pain while you…
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How to create a clarinet time capsule
Maybe it’s just me, but doesn’t it seem like this year has felt like an eternity? I know that time will eventually pass, so I thought it would be a fun idea to create a clarinet time capsule to look back upon in the future. If you’ve never made a time capsule, it’s super simple! All you have to do…
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30 More Famous French Clarinetists
Bonne fête nationale à tous mes amis français! Last year, I created a list of 30 famous French clarinetists. To celebrate Bastille Day this year, I thought I would expand this list by adding 30 more famous French clarinetists. Disclaimer: This list is not meant to be comprehensive, and I will continue adding to it to celebrate all of the…
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The Clarinetist’s Tool Kit
During my teaching these past few years, I’ve developed an analogy I like to call the clarinetist’s tool kit. I’m not referring to the literal tools a clarinetist might need such as pliers, screwdriver, or alcohol lamp (we’ll save that for another article). Instead, I refer to skills a clarinetist should develop to be ready for any musical situation. If…
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Random acts of kindness ideas for musicians
The world can always use more kindness, and musicians can offer a unique type of kindness to others. In addition to using your music as a tool to spread happiness and good cheer, you can also use your platform and community to make someone else’s day a bit brighter. Here are a few random acts of kindness ideas for musicians:…
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13 Productive musical activities for summer vacation (that aren’t practicing)
Even though summer just officially began, it might feel like it’s been forever since your last semester ended. If you want to maximize your time you have until school begins again, here are a few ideas to get you motivated: Update your CV. Take a walk down memory lane and record all of the cool concerts, events, outreach, teaching, and…
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21 Clarinet Compositions from the 21st Century
The clarinet has quite an extensive list of amazing repertoire spanning across a multitude of styles and genres. We have our beloved masterpieces by Mozart, Weber, Brahms, and many more, but what about some more recent repertoire? Over the last few years, I’ve become more and more interested in modern clarinet compositions. Here are a few of my favourites from…
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How to assemble a clarinet
The clarinet certainly does have its fair share of pieces, equipment, and accessories. Here’s everything you need to know to properly assemble your clarinet: Parts of a clarinet from top to bottom Mouthpiece (with ligature and reed) Barrel Upper joint Lower joint Bell Steps to assembling a clarinet Lay the case on a stable, flat surface and ensure that the…
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What does voicing mean to clarinetists?
“Voicing” is one of those words that clarinetists seem to enjoy using, and we often blame this as a culprit for poor response, intonation, or tone on the instrument. This is an important concept for clarinetists to understand, but it can be difficult since there can be some ambiguity surrounding this term. Part of the difficulty in defining this is…
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The Contemporary Clarinetist: A Resource List to Develop and Improve Extended Techniques
Even though the clarinet has only been in existence for just over 300 years, it has certainly come a long way in this time. It has captured audience’s imaginations through its cantabile vocal qualities and virtuosic capabilities, and more recently, its slowly increasing lyrical and technical possibilities. During the last century, performers and composers have expanded the sound spectrums the…