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The Complete Guide to Scales
Longtime readers of this blog probably know by now that I’m a scale fanatic. Scales are one of my absolute favorite things to practice, and I think that they are also one of the most beneficial elements of any well-balanced practice routine. I spend a lot of time with my students explaining what scales are and why they’re so important, and I wanted to create this guide to share this information with you, whether you’re a beginner or scale aficionado. First things first – what is a scale? You’ll probably encounter several different definitions, depending on which music theory book you reference. Basically, a scale is a group of notes…
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Friday Favorites: Scale Studies
Happy Friday! This week, I’m sharing a few of my favorite scale books. Since I’m somewhat of a scale fanatic, this was a bit difficult to narrow down! In my opinion, no practice session is complete without scale studies, and I’ve linked some of the scale books below to exercises, Boot Camps, and Digital Downloads that I’ve created as resources to help you learn these materials. Without further ado, here are my favorite scale books for clarinetists (listed in no particular order): Carl Baermann Complete Method for the Clarinet, Op. 63 (3rd Division) Pares Daily Exercises and Scales for Clarinet Emile Stiévenard Practical Study of the Scales B. Albert 24 Varied Scales and Exercises for Clarinet…
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Baermann Scale Showdown – A Competitive Way to Gamify Scales
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Carl Baermann’s iconic clarinet scale book. In 2017, I created the Baermann Boot Camp (revised in 2019), which served as the catalyst for dozens of my other Boot Camps and digital clarinet products. I created a semi-fictitious holiday to celebrate our buddy Carl’s birthday. Although not directly scale-related, I even shared the true story of how Carl’s dumplings and strudel inspired Mendelssohn to write a famous piece of clarinet literature! I think it’s safe to say that I’m a big fan of Baermann and his contributions to the clarinet (particularly his scale exercises). Now, I’d like to introduce you to my…
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Quick Fix Friday: Play scales musically
It’s been a while since I’ve written a Quick Fix Friday! Here’s a quick fix to start your weekend on the right note: Do you practice your scales (or other technical exercises) with the same musical intention as you do when you’re working on études or repertoire? Chances are, probably not. Scales are music too, but a large number of musicians focus just on the technical aspects, ignoring phrasing, tension, and overall musicality or expression. The quick fix? Add some musicality to your scales the next time you practice. Incorporate dynamics, rubato, pacing, and anything else to make your scales more interesting to play and to practice. Not only will…
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Alabama All State Audition Boot Camp for Clarinetists
Happy November! The air’s getting colder as marching band comes to a close for another season, which can only mean one thing… All State auditions are just around the corner! That’s right, it’s time to dust off those scales and polish those etudes, because auditions will be here before you know it! Lucky for you, I’ve created a free 8-week boot camp for clarinetists of all ages to prepare for their All State audition, whether it’s your first time or you have a few auditions under your belt. I’m a veteran of the Alabama All State Band system, having made 1st chair in the Red Band multiple times, and I…
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International Day of Baermann
Calling all clarinetists! Last October, I created the Baermann Boot Camp, a practice plan which allows you to complete Carl Baermann’s eponymous scale book in one month. Clarinetists from around the world bonded over torturous key signatures and those dreadful octaves, and we emerged stronger and more technically proficient after an intensive month of scales. A lot of people probably thought I was crazy for cramming so much music into just 31 days. Well, I’m about to share an even more ambitious idea. I’d like to introduce the inaugural International Day of Baermann on October 24, in honor of the 208th birthday of our patron saint of scales. To celebrate, we’ll be…
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2018 Jenny Clarinet Boot Camp
The 2018 Jenny Clarinet Boot Camp is a downloadable practice plan and guide created to improve clarinet fundamentals. Each month contains a different method book or solo work, which I have organized into daily assignments. Each day features specific exercises to be incorporated into your practice routine. Make 2018 the year of building technique and improving fundamentals! Here is the schedule: January – Vade-Mecum de Clarinettiste February – Klosé Scales and Exercises March – Rose 32 Etudes April – Kell 17 Staccato Studies May – Kroepsch 416 Progressive Daily Studies, Vols. 1 & 2 June – Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622 July – Stiévenard Practical Study of the Scales August…
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♪ 12 Days of Scalemas ♪
‘Tis the season – for scales! The concept is simple: much like the annoyingly catchy holiday song, you’ll be given a new item (in this case, scale) each day. By the end of the 12 days, you’ll have the gift of scale mastery (which, in my humble opinion, is much better than swans a-swimming and maids a-milking). Choose your difficulty level – beginner, intermediate, or advanced – and a start date. Commit to learning, relearning, or practicing the assigned scales each day, and you’ll emerge a more technically proficient musician by the end of the holiday season! 12 Days of Scalemas – Beginner 12 Days of Scalemas – Intermediate 12…
