Welcome to my website! Here I have included some of my thoughts for better clarinet playing.
CARING FOR YOUR CLARINET:
It is very important to have a clarinet that is in good working order. You should look over your clarinet frequently to look for problems. Look for:
BENT KEYS, LOOSE KEYS OR KEYS THAT ARE HARD TO MOVE
LEAKING OR MISSING PADS
MISSING CORKS OR CORKS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED
MISSING SCREWS OR SCREWS THAT KEEP POPPING OUT OF PLACE
It can be incredibly frustrating to play on a clarinet that needs to be repaired. It can even lead to bad playing habits if the player has to adjust their playing in order to overcome the clarinet's problems.
If your clarinet needs to be fixed, take it to a good repair technician as soon as possible. Also, I think it is a good idea to have a yearly "check-up" for your clarinet. Take it to a good repair technician. Most clarinets do not need a lot of work at one time, so don't let someone do extra work if it is not needed. A good technician will not do this. For information on good repair technicians in the Pittsburgh area, feel free to email me.
You should frequently swab your clarinet, at least after everytime you play it. If you hear gurgling, this is also a good time to swab. Swabbing will keep your pads from getting too damp and will make them last longer (i.e. you will save money).
Never swab your mouthpiece. The tip of the mouthpiece is very delicate and the metal end of your swab may cause some damage to your mouthpiece after time. Clean your mouthpiece by just running water through it, but make sure you keep water away from the cork.
If you have a wooden clarinet, you should be oiling it about every six months or so if it is new. If it is over five years old, oiling it about once a year should be fine. To oil your clarinet, use a another swab other than the one you usually use and put a few drops of BORE OIL on it. Run this through the inside of the clarinet a couple of times. Only use oil on the inside and make sure the oil stays away from your pads. After oiling put your clarinet away for the rest of the day, but don't close the case. This will let the oil dry properly. The oil puts a nice seal on the wood that will help protect it from cracking and from condensation.
Never play your wooden clarinet outside! It could crack (in multiple places) and you might have to pay quite a bit for repairs or even have to get a new clarinet. Just don't do it unless you can avoid it. Use a plastic clarinet for marching band.
This might seem like a no brainer, but make sure that your clarinet case is completely closed when you carry around your clarinet inside of it. I've dropped mine this way before and it's better to be safe than sorry. Also, try not to let your clarinet set around on it's bell, unless you have a clarinet stand.
CLARINETS I RECCOMEND:
For beginners - it is probably a good idea to go for a plastic student model. In my experience, most plastic clarinets are at about all the same quality, but Buffets and Selmers seem to have better key mechanisims.
For intermediate/advancing students - if you are semi-serious about the clarinet or just haven't been happy with your beginning clarinet, getting a intermediate wooden clarinet is a good idea. Acoustically, wooden clarinets seem to sound better and the mechanisms for intermediate clarinets are made with better quality. An excellent intermediate clariet is the BUFFET E-11, although Selmer and Yamaha make very good intermediates as well.
For advanced level/college level students - At some point you will grow out of your intermediate clarinet. As you progress, the next step is to get a professional clarinet. These clarinets are like moving to a fine luxury car...they are very smooth and well-made, but must be constantly maintained and fussed over.
The clarinet of choice for most professionals is the BUFFET R-13, but not every R-13 is created equal. Here it is ESSENTIAL to try a few clarinets before purchasing one. It all depends on personal preference and not all will sound or feel exactly the same. Although most players choose Buffets; Selmer, LeBlanc, and Yamaha make some excellent clarinets as well.
TRYING OUT A CLARINET:
This is extrememly important, especially if you are purchasing a used or professional clarinet. If you go to a store, ask to try several of the same model. I have done this many times and the sales people will be happy to accomodate you. If you are ordering a clarinet through a mail-order company, they will also let you try several clarinets at one time.
Take your own mouthpiece and reeds with you to the store. This is the set up that you are used to playing on, so use what is comfortable for you. Most store have little rooms just for instrument trials. Bring some music to play or just play scales, but make sure you play exactly the same material on each clarinet you try. Try all registers, low and high and at all different dynamic levels. Pay close attention to how the clarinet sounds as you play and to how it feels as you blow through it. If it feels stiff or hard to play, don't buy it. It should feel right and make a better sound than what your current clarinet can produce. See how it responds to slurred and staccato passages. Also, take note of how the mechanism feels. It should feel extrememly smooth and easy. Check the clarinet for intonation as well, use a tuner and make sure all registers can be played in tune without having to make MAJOR adjustments.
Don't just let price be the most important factor in deciding what your next clarinet will be. Just like with many things, you get what you pay for. Buffet, Selmer, Yamaha, and LeBlanc clarinets have good reputations for good reasons. They are extremely well-crafted clarinets made of excellent materials. It may seem to be cheaper to get a used clarinet, but you may have to put more money into getting it fixed or adjusted up to the level that would be required to play on it. But whatever clarinet you choose, this will most likey be your clarinet for many years to come, so decide wisely. MOUTHPIECES
REEDS
METRONOMES AND TUNERS
PRACTICING
LEGATO PLAYING
ARTICULATION
Using clear articulation is very important for good clarinet playing. It can really make a difference in what you are attempting to "say" with your instrument. Just as it is important to speak clearly when talking to others, it is just the same with the clarinet.
PLAYING IN AN ENSEMBLE
SOLO REPERTOIRE
AUDITIONING
Clarinet Sites
The Clarinet Pages
Anne Bell's Clarinet Website
Sherman Friedland's Clarinet Corner
