 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: DavidR
Date: 2008-08-27 15:30
I am a newbie to the clarinet. I am also teaching myself. Do you guys have any tips or advice which could help a beginner? Any good books you can recommend?
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Author: pewd
Date: 2008-08-27 15:47
find a good private teacher to help you get started right.
otherwise you'll pick up all sorts of bad habits which will need to be corrected later.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: mrn
Date: 2008-08-27 16:00
I agree with Paul. It's hard to get far teaching yourself.
An easy way to find a teacher is to call up your nearest conservatory or college/university music department and get in touch with their clarinet professor. They can usually refer you to somebody who teaches privately (often one of their own students). Sometimes the professors have private teaching studios themselves, too.
That being said, there are some good books out there you might enjoy/find helpful (even if you take lessons from a teacher):
Jack Brymer, "Clarinet" (Yehudi Menhin Music Guide)
David Pino, "The Clarinet and Clarinet Playing"
Daniel Bonade, "The Clarinettist's Compendium" (Don't know if this is still in print, but it at least used to be published by Leblanc, the instrument maker)
As you get more advanced, another very good book to have is Tom Ridenour's book on clarinet fingerings (which covers many stratospherically high notes).
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-08-27 16:09
I second and third the opinions above.
A private teacher can show you how to solve problems before you even have them. And they can really help with the ones you know about!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Nessie1
Date: 2008-08-28 11:42
Whilst I agree with most of the other replies that it would be wise to find a teacher, here are a few of the pitfalls which I have noticed that a lot of new or elementary players often fall into. They are all very important but none of them are difficult to put right or learn if you just get into the right habit.
1 - hold your clarinet up - an angle of 30 to 45 degrees to the body is about right. I'm not saying that you have to measure it with a protractor but many players hold the instrument almost vertical which will mean that the angle for tonguing is not correct.
2 - don't put too much or too little mouthpiece in your mouth. Again this is important for tonguing and for tone.
3 - the thumbrest for your right hand should be very close to the tip of the thumb, over the nail - not half way down your thumb. Put another way, if you look at yourself full on in a mirror with thumb in place, you should barely be able to see any thumb at all. This is important for finger dexterity and especially for the use of the side keys on the upper joint.
4 - when playing "thoat" A, G sharp, B flat you must develop a facility to roll the first finger of the left hand onto the keys, not pick it right up and place it on the keys or you will never be able to get back to play other notes smoothly (I wrote about this on another post).
5 - for similar reasons, do not lift the fingers more than a few millimeters off the holes.
6 - keep the little fingers over the keys for which they are used - not tucked away behind them.
7 - for tone and stamina, do some long notes every practice session.
Hope this helps. Happy playing.
Vanessa.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-08-28 14:56
I don't know that #3 re thumb position works for everyone. I don't play with the tr on my nail...probably due to the size of my hand.
Bob Draznik
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2008-08-28 17:14
In addition to finding a good teacher...
Mind your fingers, and ensure that they are covering all the appropriate holes properly. It was years before I discovered that most of my bad habits came about from compensating improperly with my embouchre and airstream, when the actual problem was that one of the holes was ever so slightly not completely covered.
Similar bad habits also arose for me due to my clarinet being in very slightly poor repair (e.g. a pad not sealing all the way). Having your instrument in very good condition can also eliminate bad habits before they form.
If you ever have inordinate trouble with a particular note or two, chances are pretty good that your fingers are off, the horn is out of adjustment, or you're compensating for a real or percieved deficiency in those, or perhaps even an old deficiency that has since been rectified.
Get recommendations for a good technician... don't just go to the local music store. While some local music stores have fine technicians that do good work, others may actually leave your horn in worse condition than when you took it in.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: jeeves
Date: 2008-08-30 20:23
This link is great for embouchure & tounging.
http://www.rrmsband.org/SCBDA/WW%20.pdfs/Clarinet%20fixes.pdf
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-08-31 05:00
BobD is right. For some of us putting the finger under the thumbrest the way Vanessa described would be very uncomfortable. Same for her 5th advice. What I consider "a few millimeters" is less than what I and pretty much any clarinetist I know lift their fingers.
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Author: CarlT
Date: 2008-08-31 17:47
jeeves said: "This link is great for embouchure & tounging.
http://www.rrmsband.org/SCBDA/WW%20.pdfs/Clarinet%20fixes.pdf"
Am I the only one having trouble with the above website? I can't seem to get it to work.
CarlT
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