Pedagogy
Top 10 (+) Things That Beginning Clarinet Players Do Wrong and How to Correct Them
Citation: Mattei, Marilyn. Top 10 (+) Things That Beginning Clarinet Players Do Wrong and How to Correct Them. Texas Music Educators Association. <http://www.matteimusicservices.com/TMEA%20Handout.pdf>
Article Title: Top 10 (+) Things That Beginning Clarinet Players Do Wrong and How to Correct Them.
Author: Marilyn Mattei
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: Texas Music Educators Association.
Summary:
I. Equipment
A. Suggestions for what mouthpieces, ligatures, and reeds beginning students should use
B. Reed placement issues
C Common Embouchure Issues
1. Visible
a.Corners, bottom lip, how much mouthpiece
2. Invisible
a. Top teeth, open or closed bottom jaw, tongue placement, air speed, reed strength.
D. Other
E. What to look for when you hear:
1. No sound or air past the reed
2. No sound but air is past the reed
3. Sqwaking sound
4. High Squealing
5. Good sound, pitch is sharp
F. Tonguing
1. Sluggish sound
2. “Thoo” sound
3. “Loo” sound
4. “Chewing” while tonguing
G. Hand Position
1. Right thumb too far under thumb rest
2. Left thumb
3. Right index finger hooks under the Eb key
4. Flying fingers
5. Left index finger when moving to “a” key
H. Instructional sequence exercises to build skills
Article Title: Top 10 (+) Things That Beginning Clarinet Players Do Wrong and How to Correct Them.
Author: Marilyn Mattei
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: Texas Music Educators Association.
Summary:
I. Equipment
A. Suggestions for what mouthpieces, ligatures, and reeds beginning students should use
B. Reed placement issues
C Common Embouchure Issues
1. Visible
a.Corners, bottom lip, how much mouthpiece
2. Invisible
a. Top teeth, open or closed bottom jaw, tongue placement, air speed, reed strength.
D. Other
E. What to look for when you hear:
1. No sound or air past the reed
2. No sound but air is past the reed
3. Sqwaking sound
4. High Squealing
5. Good sound, pitch is sharp
F. Tonguing
1. Sluggish sound
2. “Thoo” sound
3. “Loo” sound
4. “Chewing” while tonguing
G. Hand Position
1. Right thumb too far under thumb rest
2. Left thumb
3. Right index finger hooks under the Eb key
4. Flying fingers
5. Left index finger when moving to “a” key
H. Instructional sequence exercises to build skills
The Clarinet Embouchure
Citation: Maloney, Timothy. The Clarinet Embouchure. Canadian Winds, Fall 2010, p 31.
Article Title: The Clarinet Embouchure
Author: Timothy Maloney
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: Canadian Winds
Summary:
- Different Clarinet Embouchures
- Single Lip
- Proper top teeth, corners, and lips
- Trick: use index finger, then mouthpiece and barrel
- Maintain concentration when playing first notes
- Easy beginning tunes: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Lightly Row, Oh Susanna
- Do's and Don'ts
- Lower lip
- Biting the reed
- Pressure from the low teeth
- Too much/little mouthpiece
- Jaw tension
- Over-blowing
- Proper posture and support
- Reed Strength and rotation
- Double-Lip
- Drawbacks: looser grip,
- Benefits: high arch in soft palate
- Mainly for advanced
Article Title: The Clarinet Embouchure
Author: Timothy Maloney
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: Canadian Winds
Summary:
- Different Clarinet Embouchures
- Single Lip
- Proper top teeth, corners, and lips
- Trick: use index finger, then mouthpiece and barrel
- Maintain concentration when playing first notes
- Easy beginning tunes: Mary Had a Little Lamb, Lightly Row, Oh Susanna
- Do's and Don'ts
- Lower lip
- Biting the reed
- Pressure from the low teeth
- Too much/little mouthpiece
- Jaw tension
- Over-blowing
- Proper posture and support
- Reed Strength and rotation
- Double-Lip
- Drawbacks: looser grip,
- Benefits: high arch in soft palate
- Mainly for advanced
Clarinet Teaching for the Non-Clarinetist
Citation: West, Thomas J. Clarinet Teaching for the Non-Clarinetist. Thomas J. West Music, 21 February 2011. <http://www.thomasjwestmusic.com/apps/ blog/show/6072397-clarinet-teaching-for-the-non-clarinetist>
Article Title: Clarinet Teaching for the Non-Clarinetist
Author: Thomas J. West
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: Thomas J. West Music
Summary:
- Clarinet Embouchure
- Correct downward angle
- Steps for testing to see if beginning students have proper embouchure
- Bottom lip first, the Top lip and teeth, then jaw control and pressure
- Hand Positioning: Differences
- Left thumb and finger placement
- Exercises to emphasis use of the left hand and proper finger positioning
- Right thumb and finger placement
-Crossing the Break
- From throat tone Bb to eighth finger B natural is " the Break"
- Coordination: all fingers involved to close keys simultaneously and firm embouchure
- Register leaps with register key on mid-tone notes is good beginning for bridging the break
- Fingering System
- Patterns of Twelfths (same fingering with register key raises octave and a fifth)
- Chromatic fingerings
- In standard fingering chart, most common fingerings listed first, then alternates
- Pinky Keys
- Lower joint keys and upper joint keys are interchangeable
- May be difficult for young students but good for their fine motor skills and best for melodic passages
- Above High "C"
- Must learn standard fingerings
- Tuning
- Adjust length of instrument at the barrel
- Open G tuned with barrel, Low C adjust the bell
- Occasional adjusting in middle and bell are needed
- Transposition
- Teach them how to go from their concert pitch and vice versa
- Circle of 4ths/5ths
Article Title: Clarinet Teaching for the Non-Clarinetist
Author: Thomas J. West
Instrument: Clarinet
Magazine or Journal Title: Thomas J. West Music
Summary:
- Clarinet Embouchure
- Correct downward angle
- Steps for testing to see if beginning students have proper embouchure
- Bottom lip first, the Top lip and teeth, then jaw control and pressure
- Hand Positioning: Differences
- Left thumb and finger placement
- Exercises to emphasis use of the left hand and proper finger positioning
- Right thumb and finger placement
-Crossing the Break
- From throat tone Bb to eighth finger B natural is " the Break"
- Coordination: all fingers involved to close keys simultaneously and firm embouchure
- Register leaps with register key on mid-tone notes is good beginning for bridging the break
- Fingering System
- Patterns of Twelfths (same fingering with register key raises octave and a fifth)
- Chromatic fingerings
- In standard fingering chart, most common fingerings listed first, then alternates
- Pinky Keys
- Lower joint keys and upper joint keys are interchangeable
- May be difficult for young students but good for their fine motor skills and best for melodic passages
- Above High "C"
- Must learn standard fingerings
- Tuning
- Adjust length of instrument at the barrel
- Open G tuned with barrel, Low C adjust the bell
- Occasional adjusting in middle and bell are needed
- Transposition
- Teach them how to go from their concert pitch and vice versa
- Circle of 4ths/5ths