With a wide range, the clarinet is a useful instrument for a number of musical styles. Learning to play the clarinet can be easy enough with tips for beginner musicians. Learning to play it well takes time and practise.
Clarinet Fingerings for Beginners
The first step to learning the clarinet for beginners is in proper assembly and reed placement. Assemble the clarinet and be sure to properly line up the keys. Clarinet reeds must be wet to produce good clarinet sound. Place the thinned out end of the reed in your mouth and dampen it. Slide the reed between the mouthpiece and the ligature, with the flat side flush with the mouthpiece. Centre the reed on the mouthpiece, with the thin tip flush with the tip of the mouthpiece. Tighten the ligature’s screws.
Hold the weight of the clarinet on your right thumb by settling the thumb hook over it. Line up your index, middle and ring fingers with the six holes on the front of the clarinet. Curl your bottom lip over your teeth, settle the mouthpiece in your mouth and blow without puffing your cheeks. This open-holed note is a middle G.
The general rule of clarinet fingerings is that the lower the note, the more fingers will be pressed down. This allows the air to flow further through the clarinet and create a lower tone. Thus, covering the thumb hole with your left thumb will create an F. Add your left index finger to create an E. Add your left middle finger to create a D. Add your left ring finger to create a C.
Clarinet Sound and Musical Notes
Begin with these five notes – C, D, E, F, and G. It can be difficult for beginners to produce sound at first. There are several ways to amend this issue. A clarinet’s sound is created by air flowing past the wet reed and causing it to vibrate. Sometimes with beginner musicians, the reed cannot vibrate well enough to create good sound.
Be sure that the reed is sufficiently damp. Be sure that the tip of the reed is properly flush with the tip of the mouthpiece. Then try moving your mouth up or down the mouthpiece to give the reed room to vibrate. Also, make sure that your fingertips are completely covering the holes.
To practise creating good, clear clarinet sound, begin by playing these first five notes in long tones. Just as important as a vibrating reed, proper air helps create good sound. Breathe in through the mouth, never the nose, filling your diaphragm, not your lungs. This breathing method gives a musician better air support. When blowing, remember to not puff your cheeks. Puffing your cheeks can hurt your embouchure and prevent the muscles from gaining proper tone.
When beginning a note, rather than just blowing, tap the tip of your tongue on the tip of the mouthpiece as though pronouncing a “T.” Air flow can be interrupted by this “tonguing,” and mark a concise beginning to each note.
Clarinet Supplies
When learning notes on the clarinet, a fingering chart is a valuable tool and can be easily found in music stores. Extra reeds are also useful. Clarinet reeds are delicate and can chip easily. Chip-free reeds create naturally better sound. Moreover, reeds become old or simply water-logged after using them over and over. Once any of these circumstances happen, it is best to begin with a new reed.
Lastly, consider buying a beginner clarinet music book. Clarinet method books are recommendable, as they include fingerings for new notes, warm-ups, and short, easy pieces. Big note books of popular songs can be a fun way for a novice musician to practise playing.
Playing the clarinet takes time and practise to do well. Remember these basic tips, and be sure to practise frequently, beginning with these first five easy notes.
Michelle Wright - Michelle is an avid reader and writer, with a focus on book, film and music reviews, gluten free recipes, and fiction writing "how-tos."
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