 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Yusuf Zaid
Date: 2000-11-26 15:57
From Yusuf: I have put together the following exercise routine using information
gathered from this BB and from a tutor friend of mine of 40 odd years experience.
I am a beginner and, using this routine myself , I am making rapid positive progress.
This is not intended to be the ultimate routine but a basis upon which beginners and
experienced players can build or reject as they wish. I have tried to form the routine to
include elements that might be of use to anyone interested in learning clarinet or any
wind instrument or those who wish to develope their skills further. If I have failed, so
be it. If it helps just one person go forward I will be more than satisfied.
I will be pleased to receive your responses to this posting. E/mail me if you like.
I must stress however that this is only a framework, a possible place to start and think
about your practice, it suits me and I,m making rapid progress and I modify the
routine to suit myself and try to keep it flexible.
Good practicing and enjoy it:-
CLARINET PRACTICE ROUTINES
LONG TONE DEVELOPEMENT
(Min. 15 minutes)
The importance of the following initial passage cannot be stressed enough.
First think of how you are going to breath. Then keep the shoulders down and make
the diaphragm expand downwards, filling the lungs with air. This is the most
important initial exercise. Think. Your whole body is part of the instrument you are
playing. The body must be relaxed. Concentrating on the control of the diaphragm
will automatically help the body to relax.
The sound you will make must be initiated from the diaphragm. It helps to think that
your instrument is is just the final extention of your airway and that the sound you
will develope must start at the very beginning of this airway which is the
diaphragm.Get this right and everything is set for you to manipulate the column of air
you have produced, via the wind instument that is placed at the very end of the air
column. The body is relaxed and free of tension allowing you to develop the sound
and precision you require. If you do not get this right then the rest of the exercises
are a waste of your time and effort. If you don't build proper foundations to a building
it will eventually collapse.
Soon, with this exercise, the muscles you are training will 'remember' what to do.It
will become second nature to you,allowing you the freedom to express your musical
desires.
Now.play a scale slowly from the bottom of the instrument. Go up through 3 octaves.
Hold each note, long enough to ensure you have perfect control over this note
Be concious of controlling the air flow from the diaphragm.
Start as quietly as you can, gradually getting louder then reverse it starting loud and
gradually getting softer.
As you play, change the vowel sounds:-
In the chalumeau register, shape the vowel AW
In the throat register, shape the vowel AH
In the clarion register, shape the vowel OO
In the top register, shape the vowel EU
Listen to your pitch as you play, do not let your tone go flat. Make sure you are
supporting your sound . Keep the pitch stable. Keep the soft pallet down and the
throat open.
It is important to keep the body relaxed and free from tension. Concentrating on
diaphragm control will help you do this.(Fact)
CLARINET PRACTICE ROUTINES
PRACTICING TONGUING
(Min. 15Min.)
To start, blow air gently down the instrument and make the sound of the sea. As you
blow gently take the tongue on and off the tip of the reed but never stop the air going
through.
Play any note, hold it and take the tongue gently on and off the reed. Never stop the
air going through. Tongue off / tongue on (sound of the sea) / tongue off.
Now play a series of notes placing the tongue on between notes.
Now practice staccato notes- short notes using the same technique.
Whenever you use your tongue now, think of putting the tongue on after the note,
rather than starting the note with the tongue.
CLARINET PRACTICE ROUTINES
PRACTICING SCALES
(Min. 30 Minutes)
Start with the scales of C. F.and G.(or whatever scales you have been told or have in
mind)
Before you play the scales finger them and say the notes. Play evenly.
Start softly then increase the volume to loud as you go up and loud to soft as you
come down. Alternate this, starting loud to soft going up, soft to loud coming down
the scale. Alternate between starting the scale at the bottom then at the top.
Only take a breath in the middle.
Now play arpeggio notes in your chosen key.
Now make a patern out of these notes
Always play runs of 7 notes in your arpeggios.
As you become more proficient play the scales using different rythms.
Practice keeping the fingers as close to the keys as possible. Look in a mirror to
check.
Remember your tonguing and sluring.
Remember to choose a key and do everything in that key:-
Majors
Minors
Chromatic
Arpegios
Dominant 7th
Diminished 7th
Remember your tonguing, sluring and staccato.
As you become more proficient at your scales, write them out on separate pieces of
paper fold them up and put them in an open container. Pick one out at random and
practice it.
Work on a different group of three or four scales a day. Listen to the evenness. Some
scales are easy but don't take them for granted. Scale practicing provides smoothness
and control of technique.
If you have a group of notes that you can't play smoothly. Play the notes, make the
1st, 3rd .5th notes long and the 2nd, 4th, 6th.. notes... short. First at a slow tempo and
then inch your way up, one notch at a time. You can learn some really hard parts this
way.
CLARINET PRACTICE ROUTINES
STUDYING PIECES OF MUSIC
(Min. 30-45 Minutes)
Study 2 or 3 pieces of music.
As you practice these pieces, always strive to get things clean and well sounded. Don't
just go through them.
Some splendid pieces can be found in the book 'Rose 32 Etudes. They provide for
good technique and musicality
Concentrate on ,. Dynamics, Timing, Rythm, Legato, Staccato.
Cheque tonguing and sluring.
Use a metronome. Start slow then increase. Play evenly.
Sort out the interval that might trip you up. Practice these difficult intervals on thier
own. Count correctly, put in contrasts- ie loud and soft. Try to memorise it.
As you progress, play pieces that are longer and more complex. Try to discover when
they were written and by whom. This will add interest for yourself. Try to memorise
it.
Remember your tonguing and sluring and tone control.
It helps to become familiar with a piece if you can listen to a recording. Many popular
pieces are available in good record shops.
FINALLY
Remember to look after your reeds. Make sure you have a good one to play on and a
good spare or two.
Look after your instrument well. It is a tool that you can use to bring you much
satisfaction , a sense of achievement and immense joy.
Play well and be happy.
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Author: Anthony Taylor
Date: 2000-11-26 16:29
Thanks for sharing this set of practice routines. I think that I will find them very useful. One point you make about breathing has been the recent subject of debate in my mind... when you write " Then keep the shoulders down and make the diaphragm expand downwards, filling the lungs with air" I wonder a few things. I was shown a way to breathe lately that I find so easy and superior to my previous attempts: but I am told to allow my shoulders to move. The teacher told me that if I wanted a good model, watch a Pavarotti video, which I have done. Pav's rib cage moves up when he breathes, which lifts his whole torso a little, including his shoulders. When I breathe and keep the shoulders down and try to make my stomach expand (as I was taught previously) I cannot get half of the air that I can get when I let the rib cage freely move. What do you think? I'm afraid that it's a little difficult to explainways to breathe in an email, but I will attempt more information if you want .
Anthony Taylor
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Author: William
Date: 2000-11-26 16:48
A well thought out curriculum for study. IMHO. However, I would recommend spending less time on the tone and tonguing part and more time on the scale/arpeggio and music study sections. Bottom line--the important thing is to practice intelligently and you have provided a good guide for learning and progress. Good clarineting.
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Author: Poppy
Date: 2000-11-26 17:39
I'm considering joining a military band as a clarinetist/alto sax when I leave shool. Anybody have any views?
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-11-26 21:29
Hi, Poppy -- Maybe you could start a new thread with that question. People who don't read a "practice routines" thread will miss your message.
Re. the practice routine, I think it's a good one, and I think changing it periodically would also be good. For me, the practice routine that works best is one that doesn't get *too* routine. If I catch myself doing things on "automatic pilot," I shake up the schedule to make myself stay alert.
My piano teacher recommending working on 2 or 3 pieces at a time, as you suggest. I now devote one day per week to playing through *old* pieces so I don't forget them. On that day, I warm up by playing the scales and arpeggios for the pieces I'm going to run through, but I don't do other technical work. That day is just about playing as *musically* as I can -- pretending it's a performance.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-11-27 00:28
That's alot of practice time... does your lip hold out for 90 minutes?
How is your right wrist holding up?
The sax practice must have really helped (okay, the fingering isn't close), particularly along the lines of articulation.
Playing anything interesting, yet?
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