Author: Jim Carabetta
Date: 1999-08-06 14:01
Practicing in front of a mirror is indispensable! I have a full length mirror set up in my lesson room, and one in my own practice area.
Practice the tones at the "break" using throat B-flat, R-pinky B-nat, L-pinky C, R-pinky C#, D, L-pinky C#, R-pinky C, L-pinky B-nat, and then throat B-flat. Then repeat the section but start with L-B-nat, alternating pinkys up, and then back down, in reverse pinky order.. all in front of a mirror of course. As an aside, in evaluating my own style, I find that I "rest" my L-pinky on the B-nat key; ever so lightly, without pressing that key, I can feel the key, and my little finger is orientated that way.
I find that chunks of the chromatic scale work best to start off with, to develop "muscle memory". Then take that troublesome fingering (C# in this case) and go from every tone on the horn to that C#, aiming for what Kevin called a "seamless" transition. Lo E,C#,Lo F,C#, etc., up the chromatic scale.
For finger positioning, and to help curb the "fly-away" fingers, take 2 lyres; instead of using the middle joint, put one on the barrel joint and one on the bell joint. Run a long piece of scotchtape between the posts over the holes a few inches above their surface. The object is to play and keep your fingers under the tape. It's a Rube Goldberg method, but it's effective in illustrating the need to control finger motion.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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