Chapter 3: Picking the Right Clarinet for You . ..... Clarinet For Dummies x.
Mastering the Two P's: Practice and ... Exploring the Inner Workings of the
Clarinet .
Contents at a Glance Introduction ................................................................ 1
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Part I: Tuning Up with the Basics ................................. 7
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Chapter 1: So You Want to Play the Clarinet.................................................................. 9 Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Clarinet....................................................................... 23 Chapter 3: Picking the Right Clarinet for You .............................................................. 37 Chapter 4: Grasping the Basics of Musical Notation ................................................... 59 Chapter 5: Assembling, Cleaning, and Caring for Your Clarinet ................................ 83
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Part II: And a One, and a Two, and a Three: Getting Started .......................................................... 97
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Chapter 6: Getting Your Body, Lungs, and Lips in the Game..................................... 99 Chapter 7: Playing Your First Notes ............................................................................ 111 Chapter 8: Heading Lower, Higher, and In Between .................................................. 129 Chapter 9: Playing Between the Notes: Slurring and Tonguing ............................... 147 Chapter 10: Rising Above and Beyond High C ........................................................... 167
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Part III: Above and Beyond: Essential Intermediate Techniques .......................................... 179
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Chapter 11: Achieving a Great Clarinet Tone ............................................................. 181 Chapter 12: Shaking It Up with Vibrato, Glissandos, Bends, and Scoops............... 193 Chapter 13: Taking Your Fingers to the Next Level: Additional Fingerings ........... 205 Chapter 14: Turbo Tonguing and Faster Fingering.................................................... 215 Chapter 15: Tuning Up for Proper Pitch ..................................................................... 225 Chapter 16: Heading to the Practice Studio ............................................................... 239 Chapter 17: Refining Your Reeds ................................................................................. 257 Chapter 18: Gaining Expertise and Exposure through the Clarinet Community ... 287
Part IV: The Part of Tens .......................................... 297 Chapter 19: Ten Insider Secrets to Great Clarinet Playing ....................................... 299 Chapter 20: Ten (Plus) Clarinetists You Gotta Hear ................................................. 305
Part V: Appendixes .................................................. 313 Appendix A: Fingering Charts ...................................................................................... 315 Appendix B: About the CD ............................................................................................ 317
Index ...................................................................... 323
Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................. 1 About This Book .............................................................................................. 1 Conventions Used in This Book ..................................................................... 2 What You’re Not to Read ................................................................................ 2 Foolish Assumptions ....................................................................................... 2 How This Book Is Organized .......................................................................... 3 Part I: Tuning Up with the Basics......................................................... 4 Part II: And a One, and a Two, and a Three: Getting Started............ 4 Part III: Above and Beyond: Essential Intermediate Techniques..... 4 Part IV: The Part of Tens ....................................................................... 5 Part V: Appendixes ................................................................................ 5 Icons Used in This Book ................................................................................. 5 Where to Go From Here .................................................................................. 6
Part I: Tuning Up with the Basics .................................. 7 Chapter 1: So You Want to Play the Clarinet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Overcoming Tone Hole Anxiety ..................................................................... 9 What’s with all the holes? ................................................................... 10 How ’bout all that metal? .................................................................... 10 Selecting a Clarinet and Putting it Together .............................................. 11 Selecting a clarinet............................................................................... 11 Some assembly (and maintenance) required .................................. 12 Reading and Understanding Musical Notation .......................................... 13 Getting Physical with Your Clarinet ............................................................ 13 Assuming the proper posture ............................................................ 13 Learning to breathe — correctly this time ....................................... 14 Holding your mouth just right............................................................ 14 Delivering fast air ................................................................................. 15 Squeezing out notes by applying a little leverage ........................... 16 Getting your fingers into the action .................................................. 16 Transitioning between notes: Slurring, tonguing, and more .......... 17 Developing a Richer Tone ............................................................................ 18 Recognizing the four ingredients of great tone................................ 18 Playing loudly, softly, and in between .............................................. 19 Adding some special effects: Vibrato, glisses, and bends .............. 19 Cranking up your tongue and finger speed ...................................... 20 Tweaking your clarinet into tune ....................................................... 20 Perfecting your reed ............................................................................ 21
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Clarinet For Dummies Mastering the Two P’s: Practice and Performance ................................... 21 Engaging in productive practice ........................................................ 21 Stepping up on stage ........................................................................... 22
Chapter 2: Getting to Know the Clarinet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 A Brief Lesson in Clarinet Anatomy ............................................................ 23 The business end of the clarinet: The mouthpiece, reed, and ligature ...................................................... 24 Pitching in to tune your clarinet: The barrel joint........................... 27 Accommodating your left hand: The upper joint ............................ 28 Relying on your right hand: The lower joint .................................... 28 Ringing in at the far end: The bell ...................................................... 29 Exploring the Inner Workings of the Clarinet ............................................ 29 Getting the vibrations going ............................................................... 29 Making notes ........................................................................................ 29 Grasping the Basic Concepts of Playing the Clarinet ............................... 30 Blowing some hot air ........................................................................... 30 Using the mouth as a plumbing device: The embouchure ............. 31 Using the clarinet as a lever (so to speak) ....................................... 31 Fingering those notes .......................................................................... 31 Appreciating Clarinet Diversity ................................................................... 32 Piccolo clarinet .................................................................................... 33 E% clarinet .............................................................................................. 33 Soprano clarinets ................................................................................. 33 Basset horn ........................................................................................... 34 Alto clarinet .......................................................................................... 34 Bass clarinet ......................................................................................... 34 Contra bass clarinets........................................................................... 35 Exploring Two Unique Fingering Systems .................................................. 35 The Boehm system .............................................................................. 36 The Oehler system............................................................................... 36
Chapter 3: Picking the Right Clarinet for You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Looking at Clarinets for Beginners and Beyond ........................................ 37 Shaking your piggybank: How much clarinet can you afford? ................................................................... 38 Starter-uppers (student models) ....................................................... 38 Step-up (intermediate) models .......................................................... 40 Conservatory or professional models with not-so-conservative price tags ....................................................... 42 Sorting Out Material Choices ....................................................................... 44 Saving your pennies with a plastic model ........................................ 45 Sticking with the classics: Wooden models...................................... 45 Checking out resin-made (greenline) clarinets ................................ 45 Checking Out the All-Important Mouthpiece ............................................. 46 Evaluating mouthpiece characteristics ............................................ 46 Getting started with a beginner mouthpiece ................................... 48
Table of Contents Stepping up to professional-quality mouthpieces ........................... 48 Comparing jazz to classical mouthpieces ........................................ 50 Wading through the Reeds: The Tone Generators.................................... 51 Reed cuts: Numbers aren’t everything ............................................. 51 Beginner reeds ..................................................................................... 52 Reeds for more advanced players ..................................................... 52 Saving Some Dough: Buying Used or Renting ............................................ 53 Buying a used clarinet ......................................................................... 53 Renting versus buying ......................................................................... 54 Swapping Out the Barrel or Bell .................................................................. 55 Barrels: Tubular, dude! ....................................................................... 55 Bells that’ll make your ears ring ........................................................ 56 Tossing in a Few Accessories ...................................................................... 57 Cleaning cloth....................................................................................... 57 Reed case .............................................................................................. 57 Cork grease ........................................................................................... 57 Tuner ..................................................................................................... 58 Metronome ........................................................................................... 58
Chapter 4: Grasping the Basics of Musical Notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Reciting the Musical Alphabet ..................................................................... 60 Staffs and clefs: Nothing but treble and bass ................................... 61 Simplifying staffs with ledger lines .................................................... 63 Locating Notes on a Piano Keyboard .......................................................... 64 Pointing out the written notes ........................................................... 64 Identifying sharps and flats ................................................................ 64 Getting Keyed Up with Key Signatures ....................................................... 67 Making exceptions with accidentals ................................................. 67 Tuning in to keys and scales .............................................................. 68 Grooving to the Rhythm ............................................................................... 71 Recognizing a note’s value ................................................................. 71 Tying notes together ........................................................................... 73 Humming a few bars with bar lines ................................................... 73 Tuning in to the beat with time signatures ...................................... 74 Accounting for triplets and dotted notes ......................................... 74 Taking a breather with rests .............................................................. 75 Spicing Up the Music with Staccato, Accents, Slurs, and Tenutos ......... 76 Barking out notes staccato style........................................................ 77 Accenting notes for emPHAsis ........................................................... 77 Slurring your notes .............................................................................. 78 Marking tenutos with a dash .............................................................. 78 Marking phrases with slurs ................................................................ 79 Reaching Beyond the Notes ......................................................................... 79 Deciphering dynamic markings ......................................................... 79 Spotting crescendos and diminuendos............................................. 80 Learning Italian with tempo markings............................................... 81 Following repeat signs and roadmaps .............................................. 81
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Clarinet For Dummies Chapter 5: Assembling, Cleaning, and Caring for Your Clarinet . . . . .83 Assembling Your Clarinet ............................................................................. 84 Assembly tips and tricks..................................................................... 84 Hands off! Places you should never touch ....................................... 85 Attaching the bell to the lower joint ................................................. 86 Attaching the lower joint to the upper joint .................................... 86 Attaching the barrel to the upper joint ............................................. 88 Attaching the mouthpiece to the barrel ........................................... 88 Attaching the reed to the mouthpiece .............................................. 89 Cleaning and Storing Your Clarinet ............................................................. 90 Swabbing condensation ...................................................................... 90 Cleaning the keys ................................................................................. 90 Giving the mouthpiece a bath ............................................................ 91 Clarinet storage do’s and don’ts ........................................................ 93 Storing reeds ........................................................................................ 93 Protecting that reed and mouthpiece! .............................................. 94 Maintaining and Repairing Your Clarinet ................................................... 94 Maintaining a brand new clarinet ...................................................... 94 Taking care of any ol’ clarinet ............................................................ 95 Finding a good repair technician ....................................................... 96
Part II: And a One, and a Two, and a Three: Getting Started .......................................................... 97 Chapter 6: Getting Your Body, Lungs, and Lips in the Game . . . . . . . .99 Taking a Stance: Great Posture for Great Breathing ................................. 99 Straightening your back .................................................................... 100 Keeping your chin up ........................................................................ 100 Breathing for Your Clarinet ........................................................................ 101 Breathing in . . . deeply...................................................................... 101 Breathing out . . . completely ........................................................... 101 Sounding Off with a Mini-Clarinet .............................................................. 103 Getting small ....................................................................................... 103 Giving your clarinet some lip: Proper embouchure ...................... 104 Playing that big band sound: Adjusting the leverage and air ...... 108
Chapter 7: Playing Your First Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 Letting Your Fingers Do the Talking ......................................................... 111 Double-checking your right thumb position .................................. 112 Getting your left hand in the act ...................................................... 114 Holding your fingers in the right positions .................................... 115 Making O’s and C’s............................................................................. 116 Don’t let your pinkies droop ............................................................ 118 Playing Your First Note on the Whole Clarinet........................................ 118
Table of Contents Launching Notes with Your Tongue.......................................................... 120 Adding More Notes to Your Repertoire .................................................... 120 Gimme an F! Gimme a G!.................................................................... 121 Digging an F# and low B% out of the final two tone holes............... 122 Getting all choked up with throat tones ......................................... 123 Stringing all those notes together.................................................... 127
Chapter 8: Heading Lower, Higher, and In Between . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129 Playing the Pinky Notes .............................................................................. 129 Exploring the low pinky notes.......................................................... 130 Aiming high: Playing the fifth line F and continuing upward to G, A, B, and C ............................................ 132 Playing pinky notes in the staff ........................................................ 135 Changing Registers: A Tricky Transition .................................................. 138 Playing from two places at once: The F# to A connection ............ 139 Keeping the right hand down for register changes ....................... 140 Going Chromatic to Plug the Gaps ............................................................ 141 Higher chromatic notes for the clarion register ............................ 144 One final fingering .............................................................................. 145 Putting it all together: The whole enchilada .................................. 145
Chapter 9: Playing Between the Notes: Slurring and Tonguing . . . .147 Getting Connected with Articulation ........................................................ 147 Slurring to Smooth Transitions ................................................................. 148 Slurring smooth and steady ............................................................. 149 Adding accents and intensity crescendos ...................................... 149 Mastering the Fine Art of Tonguing........................................................... 153 Brushing up on the basics: Aiming for the tip rail ......................... 154 Starting notes: Going on the attack ................................................. 155 Separating repeated notes and successive notes that change pitch................................................................. 156 Tonguing for response ...................................................................... 159 Tonguing to sing more: Legato tonguing ........................................ 160 Adding space between notes staccato style .................................. 161 Mixing Articulation with Slurring and Tonguing ..................................... 163
Chapter 10: Rising Above and Beyond High C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167 Producing the Altissimo Notes .................................................................. 168 Stepping up to a harder reed ........................................................... 168 Maintaining correct embouchure .................................................... 168 Letting ’er rip with fast air ................................................................ 170 Meeting More Cousins: The Overtones .................................................... 171 Fingering notes C3# above the staff to F4# ...............................................................172 Opening one more vent hole for high G .......................................... 172 Putting it all together......................................................................... 173
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Clarinet For Dummies Improving Finger Coordination with Alternate Fingerings .................... 174 Chromatic and trill fingerings .......................................................... 175 Short-skip fingerings .......................................................................... 176 Wide-skip fingerings .......................................................................... 176
Part III: Above and Beyond: Essential Intermediate Techniques ........................................... 179 Chapter 11: Achieving a Great Clarinet Tone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .181 The Four Essential Qualities of Great Tone ............................................. 182 Producing Great Tone: Step by Step ......................................................... 183 Cranking up amplitude for increased response and fullness ....... 183 Gaining leverage over pitch .............................................................. 184 Adding a dash of color ...................................................................... 187 Focusing your sound ......................................................................... 188 Playing Softly with Good Tone ................................................................... 190
Chapter 12: Shaking It Up with Vibrato, Glissandos, Bends, and Scoops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .193 Exploring Vibrato’s Roots .......................................................................... 193 Vibrato in jazz: A match made in heaven ....................................... 194 Folksy vibrato ..................................................................................... 194 Classical vibrato................................................................................. 194 A contemporary take ......................................................................... 195 Vibrato and you ................................................................................. 195 Giving Your Clarinet a Pulse ...................................................................... 195 Recognizing the two flavors of vibrato ........................................... 196 Getting warmed up with jaw vibrato ............................................... 197 Opting for glottal vibrato .................................................................. 199 Jazzing it up ........................................................................................ 200 Honoring tradition: Vibrato in classical clarinet ........................... 200 Going Gershwin with Glissandos ............................................................... 201 Scalar glisses ...................................................................................... 201 Smears (also known as slides) ......................................................... 202 Bending and Scooping Notes ..................................................................... 203 Bending a note.................................................................................... 203 Scooping a note .................................................................................. 204
Chapter 13: Taking Your Fingers to the Next Level: Additional Fingerings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205 Preventing Pinky Entanglement ................................................................. 205 Adding Fullness and Resonance to the Throat Tones ............................ 208 Getting a feel for throat tones .......................................................... 210 Improving your throat tones ............................................................ 212 Letting Your Fingers Do the Climbing: Rising Above High G ................. 213
Table of Contents Chapter 14: Turbo Tonguing and Faster Fingering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .215 Gearing Up Your Tongue ............................................................................ 215 Recognizing fast tonguing in musical notation .............................. 216 Maintaining constant air flow ........................................................... 216 Keeping your tongue relaxed ........................................................... 217 Grouping tongued notes, syllable style .......................................... 217 Limbering Up for Faster Fingering............................................................. 220 Pairing notes and fingerings instinctively ...................................... 220 Gaining confidence at fast tempos .................................................. 220 Undertaking strength training .......................................................... 220 Developing smooth finger coordination ......................................... 221 Pulling it all together ......................................................................... 221 Practicing your fast fingers technique ............................................ 222
Chapter 15: Tuning Up for Proper Pitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225 Grasping the Concept of Tuning to the Proper Pitch ............................. 226 Warming Up in the Bullpen ........................................................................ 227 Warming the outside first: The ol’ armpit trick ............................. 227 Warming the inside with a low E...................................................... 228 Tuning Your Clarinet: Two Methods ......................................................... 228 Tuning by ear ..................................................................................... 229 Using your tuner ................................................................................ 231 Recognizing Your Clarinet’s Pitch Tendencies ........................................ 235 Correcting general pitch tendencies ............................................... 235 Letting your fingers do the work: Alternate fingerings for problem notes ........................................................ 236 Tackling Bigger Tuning Problems ............................................................. 238
Chapter 16: Heading to the Practice Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239 Building a Solid Foundation for Practice .................................................. 239 Blocking out some quality time ....................................................... 240 Structuring your practice sessions ................................................. 240 Practicing with a tiny audience ........................................................ 243 Having some fun, too! ........................................................................ 244 Honing Your Skills and Technique with Exercises and Etudes ............. 244 Learning by rote with exercises ....................................................... 245 Gaining concentrated practice with etudes ................................... 248 Sharpening Your Skills with Three More Practice Tips.......................... 252 Slowing down to get better faster .................................................... 252 Practicing the opposite extreme...................................................... 253 Playing beat-to-beat for fast passages ............................................. 253 Additional Resources for Productive Practices ...................................... 254
Chapter 17: Refining Your Reeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257 Solving the Mystery of Reeds ..................................................................... 258 Examining reed anatomy .................................................................. 258 Brushing up on reed physiology: Vibration ................................... 258
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Clarinet For Dummies Recognizing the Necessity of Adjusting Even Good Reeds .................... 261 Selecting the Most Talented Reeds to Tune Up....................................... 261 Diagnosing a Reed’s Shortcomings ........................................................... 263 Testing the top of the fulcrum to the tip of the reed .................... 265 Testing the back of the fulcrum to the beginning of the cut ........ 268 Confirming or refining your diagnosis . . . before you grab that knife! ............................................................ 270 Marking adjustments on your reed ................................................. 275 Adjusting Your Reed: Scalpel, Please........................................................ 276 Following a few simple precautions ................................................ 276 Gathering essential tools and materials ......................................... 277 Adjusting areas above the fulcrum.................................................. 278 Adjusting areas below the back of the fulcrum ............................. 281 Adjusting overly soft reeds at the tip .............................................. 282 Revitalizing old, warped reeds ......................................................... 283
Chapter 18: Gaining Expertise and Exposure through the Clarinet Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287 Teaming Up with a Teacher ....................................................................... 288 Sizing up qualities and qualifications .............................................. 288 Knowing where to look ..................................................................... 289 Checking recommendations and references .................................. 290 Playing Well with Others in an Ensemble ................................................. 291 Considering a school band or orchestra ........................................ 291 Exploring new horizons for older players ...................................... 292 Checking out the local fare: Community concert bands and orchestras .................................................................... 293 Joining the choir . . . the clarinet choir ........................................... 294 Auditioning for ensembles ................................................................ 294 Thinking Smaller: Duet Buddies and Accompanists ............................... 294 Finding duet buddies for duets, trios, and quartets...................... 295 Finding pianists for accompaniment ............................................... 295 Overcoming Performance Anxiety ............................................................ 296
Part IV: The Part of Tens ........................................... 297 Chapter 19: Ten Insider Secrets to Great Clarinet Playing. . . . . . . . .299 Straighten Your Back .................................................................................. 299 Expand and Control Your Breathing ......................................................... 300 Work Your Chops ........................................................................................ 301 Tongue the Tip of the Reed to the Tip Rail .............................................. 301 Tongue Fast with the Letter “D”: Duh! ...................................................... 302 Arch That Tongue: Hiss Like a Snake ........................................................ 302 Check Your Rhythmic Pulse....................................................................... 303 Develop Sneaky Fingers .............................................................................. 303 Play in Tune and on Pitch — Always ........................................................ 304 Exaggerate the Opposites During Practice .............................................. 304
Table of Contents Chapter 20: Ten (Plus) Clarinetists You Gotta Hear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .305 Alessandro Carbonare ................................................................................ 305 Eddie Daniels................................................................................................ 306 Buddy Defranco ........................................................................................... 307 Stanley Drucker............................................................................................ 307 Giora Feidman .............................................................................................. 308 Jon Manasse ................................................................................................. 308 Paul Meyer .................................................................................................... 309 Sabine Meyer ................................................................................................ 309 Ricardo Morales........................................................................................... 310 Paulo Sergio Santos ..................................................................................... 311 Richard Stoltzman ....................................................................................... 311
Part V: Appendixes ................................................... 313 Appendix A: Fingering Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .315 Appendix B: About the CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .317 Relating the Text to the CD ........................................................................ 317 System Requirements ................................................................................. 317 Audio CD players ............................................................................... 317 Computer CD-ROM drives................................................................. 318 The Tracks on the CD ................................................................................. 319 Troubleshooting .......................................................................................... 322
Index ...................................................................... 323
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Clarinet For Dummies
