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Clarinet Crimes You Might Be Unknowingly Committing
As the self-appointed clarinet police, it’s my job to keep the clarinet community safe from crime. Here are some crimes many clarinetists are unknowingly committing: Infractions Flipping from middle B to C. The “pinky keys” can be confusing, and you should avoid sliding from one key to the other on the same side. But why make extra work for yourself when you can play B with both pinkies and simply lift the left pinky to produce C? Adding the Eb pinky key on high C#. The clarinet is not a perfect instrument. Some notes are atrociously out of tune, C# being one of them. Adding the pinky key just makes…
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9 Ways to Become Your Band Director’s Favorite Student
Happy Teacher Appreciation week! Band directors are some of the most overworked and under-appreciated teachers out there. The ultimate Jack of all trades, band directors must know a bit about every instrument, music theory, and music history (not to mention possessing the skills necessary to teach all of these). They must balance time management, lesson planning, fundraising, after-school rehearsals, and concert preparation. The hardest part? Turning a cacophony of sound into beautiful music. Here are 9 things you can do to make your band director’s job a bit easier: Bring a pencil – and use it! Nobody can remember everything, so write down missed notes, accidentals, and definitions so you…
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How to Motivate Yourself to Practice When You’d Rather Not
I’m sure that somewhere in this world, there is somebody that wakes up every single day, eager to practice and absorb every iota of musical wisdom the world throws their way. Setbacks are never met with frustration, and their zen attitude is almost saint-like. The practice room is their temple, and they are one with their instrument. That person isn’t me. Don’t get me wrong – I generally enjoy practicing. I love setting specific goals, curating practice plans, and enjoying the sense of accomplishment when I feel like I’ve improved. But then there are those days where I’d rather do anything other than practice. Maybe you’ve been there too? Those…
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How to Winter-Proof Your Clarinet
Blustery cold, wind-tangled hair, dry hands, chapped lips…winter isn’t for the faint of heart! If you’re dreaming of warmer days, you’re not alone – your clarinet is also eagerly awaiting the sun and humidity of summer. Harsh winter conditions can wreak havoc on your clarinet. From the bomb cyclone to other arctic conditions, winter weather is unforgiving to clarinets, causing tuning issues, unpredictable reeds, and cracks. Here are a few preventative steps to protect your wooden clarinet this winter: Avoid drastic temperature changes. Cold winter air outside + overactive heating inside = a recipe for disaster. Try to keep your clarinet as stable as possible, in regards to temperature. Warm…
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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…
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Baermann Boot Camp
I love practicing scales, but I have a confession… I’ve never made it through the entire Baermann scale book (Division 3, Op. 63). I’ll pick bits and pieces to practice occasionally, but I have never developed a regimen to complete the entire book in a structured routine. Don’t get me wrong: I practice scales every day, but I like variety. I’ll use the Baermann for a few days, then switch to Klosé or Stievenard, then practice without any book at all. I like to keep things interesting. I’ve used many scale books throughout the years, but my favorite will always be the Baermann. Which is why I decided to create the…
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My Current Warm Up Routine
One of the most often-asked questions for musicians is “How do you warm up?” (followed closely by “What’s your setup?” – but that’s an article for another day). A lot of people have recently been asking about my warm up, so I thought I’d share my current routine. I think warmups and breakfast have a lot in common. The old adage of the most important meal of the day rings true for warmups, which I consider the most important part of your practice routine. Also, there are varying degrees of warmups, from short and efficient (the breakfast equivalent of grabbing a granola bar as you run out the door), average…
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I Got (Better) Rhythm
Let me begin this post with a potentially controversial statement: rhythm is the most important element of your musical foundation. Hear me out – other musical concepts such as tone, interpretation, and repertoire selection are very subjective and abstract. Even seemingly concrete aspects of pedagogy (embouchure, articulation, fingerings, posture) have fiercely divided and loyal devotees. Don’t believe me? What syllable should be used for articulation? Dah? Dee? Tah? Tee? Tu? Your answer depends on your musical upbringing and a myriad of other factors. The one unifying element of music is rhythm. Rhythm is the universal equalizer – musicians and non-musicians alike are capable of keeping a steady beat and recognizing…
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52 Ways to Practice Your Scales
One New Year’s resolution for musicians that never goes out of style? Scales. Think you already know your scales? Think again. Learning the notes to each scale is just the beginning. Below are several patterns and sequences to build technique and mastery of scales. I’ve included 52 different ideas so you can have something new to practice every week this year. Happy practicing! 1. Written “normal” scale 2. Natural minor 3. Harmonic minor 4. Melodic minor 5. Major pentatonic scales 6. Minor pentatonic scales 7. Octatonic scales 8. Whole tone scales 9. Blues scales 10. Chromatic scales 11. Ionian mode (aka major scale) 12. Dorian mode 13. Phrygian mode 14.…
