 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wkleung
Date: 2016-08-26 13:00
Dear all,
I am a total beginner on the clarinet. Today was my fourth day playing it. I am learning without a teacher, on an old plastic clarinet I borrowed from a friend. Currently I am working Hindemith’s Sonata, Finzi’s Bagatelles 1&2, and Brahms’s Sonata No. 1 (last two movements). I have some questions for the experts here:
1) I notice most of the little finger keys (except Ab/Eb) are duplicated. Is there a default/preferred fingering for those notes? Or I can just use L or R randomly?
2) For the Hindemith Sonata, last movement, between rehearsal numbers 37 and 38, there is a sequence (G#-C#-D#, occurring twice) that I cannot find fingering combos without sliding either my left little finger or right little finger. Is there a trick that will overcome that? My cheap plastic clarinet doesn’t have a duplicate Ab/Eb key;
3) For the Eb/Bb, which is the default fingering? Is that the one with the side key, or the one with the banana key for the left hand ring finger?
4) My sound is not very nice and I am having trouble hitting high C and above. Should my embouchure stay the same throughout the range?
Thank you so much in advance for your help!
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2016-08-26 14:54
wkleung wrote:
> 1) I notice most of the little finger keys (except Ab/Eb) are
> duplicated. Is there a default/preferred fingering for those
> notes? Or I can just use L or R randomly?
You can use them randomly. However, I use a 'default' fingering: B left, C right, C# left, D# right. But change when necessary or other fingerings are more easy.
> 2) For the Hindemith Sonata, last movement, between rehearsal
> numbers 37 and 38, there is a sequence (G#-C#-D#, occurring
> twice) that I cannot find fingering combos without sliding
> either my left little finger or right little finger. Is there
> a trick that will overcome that? My cheap plastic clarinet
> doesn’t have a duplicate Ab/Eb key;
If you don't have the left Ab/Eb key there are some situations that require sliding indeed because the G# is not duplicated also on normal instruments. No tricks, just pick the easiest slide.
> 3) For the Eb/Bb, which is the default fingering? Is that the
> one with the side key, or the one with the banana key for the
> left hand ring finger?
With the right hand is more common I think, but again it depends on the notes before and after.
> 4) My sound is not very nice and I am having trouble hitting
> high C and above. Should my embouchure stay the same
> throughout the range?
Ideally yes but depends on instrument, mouthpiece and reed strength. Don't expect wonders when playing only for 4 days.
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