 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2011-10-28 18:01
Has anybody out there got any nifty exercises for getting these alternative keys under my belt? (or under my fingers?). I am sure it is quite normal for us to have a preference for a certain fingering but it struck me today (when trying a piece which forces me to switch keys) that I really should be equally comfortable with both. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2011-10-28 20:04
You could simply play scales:
C major using L/R and then R/L for B and C.
D major doing the same for B and C#.
E major for R/L/R for B, C# and D#.
Ab major using R/L/R for C, Db and Eb.
The Klose Part I has some useful exercises (Practical Exercises) and the 20 Studies that are a part of Part II have plenty of opportunities to work out when to use which alternate fingering.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-10-29 00:10
B, C, C# (and E, F, F#) NO PROBLEM, use the other one next.
Its those blasted D#/Eb only on the right side and the C#/G# on on the left side that complicate things.
Meanwhile, johng tells us the best way to choose pinkies for most uses.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Maruja
Date: 2011-10-29 18:35
Re. scales - my teacher has told me to stick to the same fingering so that I can become completely automatic (I have an exam coming up!). So I don't want to complicate things by alternating fingers...
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-10-29 18:46
I've gotten myself mixed up a few times by trying to practice too many alternative ways of doing something within one practice session. But you can become completely automatic in more than one way. Try compartmentalizing your practice sessions, so that in any one session, you play only one set of fingerings and do them over and over again. After a good gap of time (from morning session to afternoon, say, or next day), do the same thing with your alternate fingering. To avoid confusing these sets, name them and when you're ready to play them for an audience, think positively -- not "I have to remember that I can't do *that*" (because thinking about what you mustn't do can trigger you to do it -- been there....) but "I *will* do *this*."
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2011-10-29 21:35
play E-F-F#- G E-F-F#-G G-F#-F-E G-F#-F-E
starting with LH E and repeat ad naseum
next start with RH E ditto
later alternate each group starting RH then LH
next ascend starting one side and descend using other
you can do this up a twelth and permutate as many variations as you can think of
but start slowly and cleanly and gradually increase tempo.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2011-10-29 23:21
<Re. scales - my teacher has told me to stick to the same fingering so that I can become completely automatic (I have an exam coming up!). So I don't want to complicate things by alternating fingers...>
OK - but my idea was for the long haul, so my suggestions still stand. You need to be comfortable with every combination eventually.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: allencole
Date: 2011-11-01 01:09
Okay, if you're new to this, try this adaption of John G.'s scale advice.
D & A scales using LH B and RH C#
E, B and F# scales using RH B and LH C#.
Db and Ab scales using RH C and LH Db (C#)
That will give you a consistent feel for your scales. Once you've practiced the scales, try playing some songs by ear like The First Noel, Ode to Joy, and My Country Tis of Thee. The first two start on note 3 of your scale, and the last one starts on note 1 of your scale. These songs make good scales exercises and train your ear at the same time. I think that the first two will work with the fingerings I've described. "My Country Tis" is a little tricker in your more difficult keys.
Fingering is pretty simple in D and A, where major scales, scales-in-thirds and I-IV-V arpeggios should do find with the indicated fingerings. In the other keys, scales, scales-in-thirds, and arpeggios are all different animals, and you'll have to watch out for the traps that were pointed out by Bob Phillips.
Start working just in D, A and E and you'll start seeing the issues and the solutions.
Allen Cole
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2011-11-01 11:53
Hi,
An operational tip is when you are playing (in a group, on an etude, or whatever) and see any possibility for using R-L when L-R (or vice-versa) is most familiar, do it the other way. I'd not do this at blinding speed but try when the tempo is reasonable and there is not much risk.
You will be surprised when you actually begin to "practice" this technique without thinking.
HRL
PS I always warm-up with the a two-octave B scale and Ab arpeggios as part of my routine. The fingers as well as the mind need a little flexing.
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Author: Elkwoman46
Date: 2011-11-01 13:32
I have a question regarding all this fabulous, amazing, advice...when instructions like this are given for clarinet players, are they giving actual notes or clarinet notes per how clarinets play the notes...two semi-tones off???
Thanks. I am just soaking all this in, and want to get it right.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-01 14:05
All exercises are with the written or fingered notes on the clarinet - not the concert pitch notes as they'll be different with every member of the clarinet family.
You can try this little exercise as it alternates both LH and RH pinkies:
B(L) - C(R) - C#(L) - B(R) - C(L) - C#(R) repeated
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2011-11-01 14:06)
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