 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Zacharywest158
Date: 2022-12-16 00:17
Hey All,
I’m soliciting recommendations for the best beginner clarinet books. I’ve used the Rubank book to start students before, but as great as it is it can be a bit dry.
I would like something designed for individual instruction that will help keep the student engaged.
FYI, I understand that it’s my job as the teacher to help keep the student engaged and interested, but I’d like a book that better aligns with my goals to make learning the clarinet fun and lighthearted. What are some method books that you’ve seen your beginners respond well to?
Thanks in advance!
Zac
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Author: Mark Cookson
Date: 2022-12-16 02:00
I've always liked the two Graham Lyons "Take Up the Clarinet" books.
Book 1 takes students up to playing every note from low E to throat B flat, and ends with them playing "The Pink Panther" which I find gives beginners a clear goal! Book 2 covers all of the high register notes up to high D and I think has the clearest introduction to using the alternate little finger keys of any method I've tried.
I like the way that there are plenty of teacher/student duets early in book 1 - it's good for students to get used to hearing more than just their own part as they play from the beginning.
I do wish the books came with piano accompaniments - I've ended up writing my own for a lot of the pieces over the years.
I usually supplement the books with a book of studies - I like the variety of styles in "40 Modern Studies for Clarinet " by James Rae.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2022-12-16 02:43
I started with Foundation to Clarinet Playing by Carl Reinecke. Liked it a lot as a 10 year old (1964). Starts from square one and gets pretty complicated toward the end (scales, 16th notes, etx.). I googled it and THINK it is still in print.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2022-12-16 02:44)
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Author: donald
Date: 2022-12-16 06:24
I'm with Mark in that I like to use "Take up the Clarinet" (hi Mark, long time no see!) Except I find that for 9/10/11 year Olds I have to bulk out the part of the book where b/a/g are introduced in the right hand. The book just goes from left hand notes to kaboom - using all 3 right hand fingers. Many younger students will respond better if you introduce these notes more slowly (Skip to my Lou/Blow the man down in key of C thus using B, Waltz song or My Bonnie in key of F to introduce low A, THEN go back to Take Up the Clarinet for pieces going down to G)
I have a folder full of other tunes using this range, including duos and some with piano chords so I can plonk along with my primitive keyboard skills.
Post Edited (2022-12-16 13:43)
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Author: Djudy
Date: 2022-12-16 17:27
The Jazz Method for Clarinet by John O'Neill (Schott)
While this book is unconventional, simplistic and probably only interesting for teens or the dabbling adult, certainly not those looking to quickly develop the technique needed to play classical music at a good level, it has the merit of keeping the music in context and allows the student to acquire a feel for jazz/blues/New Orleans swing that motivate many to take up the instrument.
The simple pieces are immediately accessible and actually can sound like something you can easily hear in recordings by jazz greats. It should be paired with other exercise books to develop good clarinet technique and exposure to other musical forms but with help from the teacher the student will come away with a greater understanding of the relation of melody to harmony and a develop of ear that just scales and interval exercises alone won't provide, as well as the joy of playing the instrument.
I am always amazed at the lack of understanding of harmonic structure by "melodic" (one note at a time) instrument students whose tools don't allow them to easily explore these concepts; they are just reading the page thoughtlessly and not thinking of the piece as a whole because they don't know how to. I play guitar and concert harp and just love to experiment with harmony on these, I think of them as my calculators, even though they too are not as accessible as the piano. All instrumentalist students should be encouraged to work on the piano as well as their instrument, imho.
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Author: allencole
Date: 2022-12-16 21:44
I've been pretty happy with the newer generation of band methods, since Standard of Excellence came out in the 1990's. Each has its pros and cons, and I generally prefer the sequencing of Standard of Excellence. (with the caveat that some skipping around may be required to reinforce certain things) I also find that the Master Theory Workbook is a good companion to any beginning instrumental book. I also like its sequencing, and the fact that it teaches counting outside the context of the instrumental book. (i.e. it helps young overthinkers force themselves to move thru their songs in real-time when they want to stop and stare at the pitches) Ditto for the online demos & accompaniments--if used wisely.
Allen Cole
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2022-12-17 02:33
"Standard of Excellence" and the other one ("EE"?) that seem to be the go-to books for current school Band Directors must be pretty good. As a school Band Director doing a lot of 6th grade beginners in the '70-'90s, I tried several methods and always came back to "Band Today". Simple, straight forward. I still stand behind Foundation to Clarinet Playing as I mentioned for private lessons.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: kdk
Date: 2022-12-17 02:57
Tom H wrote:
> "Standard of Excellence" and the other one ("EE"?)
Essential Elements
> that seem to
> be the go-to books for current school Band Directors must be
> pretty good. As a school Band Director doing a lot of 6th grade
> beginners in the '70-'90s, I tried several methods and always
> came back to "Band Today".
Who published that? It's one I never saw or used.
Karl
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Author: ACCA
Date: 2022-12-17 13:17
For younger students, I've used the Paul Harris "clarinet basics" book with some success- although I must stress as a teacher I've always had best results when mixing things up to match the progress and individual strengths and challenges of the student, rather than just ploughing through any individual method book.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2022-12-18 00:11
Karl-- Foundation to Clarinet Playing was (is?) published by Carl Fisher (1918).
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: Steve Becraft
Date: 2022-12-18 03:25
"So You Want to Play the Clarinet" by Paula Corley!
https://www.halleonard.com/product/298849/so-you-want-to-play-the-clarinet
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Author: Nelson
Date: 2022-12-18 05:47
The name put forward by ACCA , Paul Harris , is worth considering in the practical guide he compiled with another very respected teacher John Davies. It's called 'Essential Clarinet Technique' (80pp) published 1986. It's a well thought out journey from posture to preliminarily approaches to long notes through to valuable finger exercises by way of the notated task accompanied by quite substantial explanatory paragraphs...rather like having a teacher at your side, photos all the way together with guiding tips
If your teacher approves of the method, it's a good practice-room companion
dj
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The Clarinet Pages
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