Band Beginnings Method Book

Clarinet Book

Name ______________________ School_______________

Teacher _____________________ Room _______________

 Supply Checklist
Instrument (or a note from home if you can’t bring it)
1. Luggage Tag on the case (name, address, phone,
classroom teacher, school)
2. Music Binder (a three-ring binder)(1-inch hard cover is
best)
4. Pencil
5. Music Stand at home (highly recommended)

Instrument Supplies
Extra Reeds (size #2)
Cork Grease
Swab

Parts of the Clarinet

1
Setting up the Clarinet Mouthpiece

2
 Forming the Clarinet Embouchure

Flatten your bottom lip and make sure the red part of your lip is over the ridge of your
bottom teeth. (Pretend you are putting chap-stick on the lip). Avoid having the red part of
your lip all on the inside of your teeth (or outside).

Place the clarinet mouthpiece in your mouth (reed down on the lower lip). Set the reed on
your lower lip and let it anchor down the flat, red part of the lip and keep the chin flat. Bring
the top teeth down onto the top of the mouthpiece

Bite down with the top teeth onto the mouthpiece putting 1/4 inch of the mouthpiece into
your mouth. Close your mouth around the mouthpiece like a drawstring bag.

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 Clarinet Embouchure (cont.)
If you were to make vowel sounds with your mouth, you would start with Eeee and slowly
change the mouth to Oooo or Uuuu. Therefore, try this, say EeeeOooo. Notice how round
your mouth is. The top lip, corners, and bottom lip should all have equal pressure on the
mouthpiece/reed.

As you close your mouth and seal it, pull the chin down and make the skin between your
chin and lower lip stretch. (Be careful NOT to open up the pressure of the bite. This is a
common mistake and misunderstanding). Now, with your right hand (under the thumbrest)
place some pressure against the upper teeth.

BLOW – when breathing, only use the corners of your mouth to take air into your lungs.
Keep the same pressure and do not interrupt your flat chin to do this. Many students
completely open their mouth to breath and the most efficient way to breath is to use the
corners of your mouth.

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 Clarinet Embouchure
Student Reference Guide
DO:

• ♫ Keep your chin flat, pointing toward the ground.

• ♫ Keep the corners of your mouth firm and pulled in, like a drawstring bag.
• ♫ Click the mouthpiece against your top teeth and “anchor” them there.
• ♫ Pull your top lip down and keep it smooth.
• ♫ Think “ee” “oo”
• ♫ Make a milkshake face (pretend to drink a really thick milkshake through a really thin
straw).
• ♫ Use fast, cold air.
• ♫ Keep your head up and sit with good posture.
• ♫ Practice with a mirror, checking for a flat chin and muscles.
• ♫ Wet your reed in your mouth for 30 seconds before playing.

DON’T:

• ♫ Don’t look down when you play. Keep your head and air up!
• ♫ Don’t puff out your cheeks.
• ♫ Don’t bite! The bottom teeth should never bite the reed.
• ♫ Don’t take your top teeth off the mouthpiece, even when you take a breath.
• ♫ Don’t play on the same reed every day.

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 ASSEMBLING THE CLARINET
Always make sure the case is facing the correct direction before it is opened. If your
case doesn’t have a logo or label on the top, add a sticker or nametag so you always
know which way should be facing up.

Before assembling, if needed, apply cork grease to the tenons of your clarinet.

Remember, a little cork grease goes a long way! Apply a small amount to each piece of cork
and then rub it around the cork with your finger to ensure even distribution.

Keep in mind that cork grease is not necessarily needed every day. On average, you’ll want
to use cork grease every 2-3 days.

Assemble your clarinet from the bottom to the top, starting with the bell and lower
section.

Use a twisting motion to get the pieces together. If the pieces feel very tight, you can add
some more cork grease.

6
Be careful of the bridge key as you twist the lower and upper joints together. Press down
the key rings on the upper joint as you add it to the lower joint to ensure the two parts of
the bridge key don’t knock into each other during assembly.

Be very careful of the keys as you assemble your instrument. Though they’re made of metal,
they can bend easily. Try to grip from the body of your clarinet and avoid putting too much
pressure on keys as you put the pieces together. Always use a gentle twisting motion.

When you’re done, check to make sure the two parts of the bridge key are aligned properly.

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The last step is to put the mouthpiece and barrel on the top of the upper section.

Check back of the clarinet to see if it is aligned properly.

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 Holding the Clarinet
Right Hand Position (on bottom)
Step 1. Position your right hand to the bottom of the instrument

Step 2. Center your thumb on the thumb rest between the tip of your thumb and your first
knuckle.

Step 3. Curve your fingers

Step 4. Keep your thumb straight

Step 5. Slant your fingers slightly downward

Step 6. Keep your wrist straight

Left Hand Position (on top)

Step 1: Position your left hand on top of the instrument

Step 2: Curve your fingers

Step 3: Keep your thumb straight

Step 4: Keep your wrist straight

9
 Clarinet Posture and Position
Sitting Posture
Feet Flat on the floor

Back Straight

Sit on the Front Edge of your Chair

Bring your clarinet out in front of you and straight to your lips. (Remember, your arms move so
your head and neck don’t have to!)

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 Band Beginnings- Clarinet
Lesson One: Our First Three Notes
1 Play an E:

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2 Play a D:

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3 Play a C:

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 4. Our First Song- Hot Cross Buns
(Hold Notes Through the Dashes)

E - D - C - - -

E - D - C - - -

C C C C D D D D

E - D - C - - -

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 5. A Whole Note receives 4 Beats

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6. A Half Note receives 2 Beats

or

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7. A Quarter Note receives 1 Beat

or

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 Level One- Mini Boss Quiz
8. What kind of note gets 1 beat? ____________________________
Answer

Draw four 1 beat notes in the space below:

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9. What kind of note receives 2 beats? _________________________

Answer

Draw four two beat notes in the space below:

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10. What kind of note receives 4 beats? _______________________

Answer

Draw four 4 beat notes in the space below:

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Our First Three Notes

17
11. Hot Cross Buns

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Our First Three Notes
(shade in the correct fingers)

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12. Au Claire de la Lune

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 The Treble Clef Staff

Notes are written on lines and spaces called the staff

13. How many lines do you count in the staff? ________

14. What are their letter names? ___________________

15. How many spaces do you count in the staff? ________

16. What are their letter names? ___________________

Our First Three Clarinet Notes

17. The Note E is written on the 1st line. All of these notes are E.

18. The Note D is written below the first line. All of these notes are D

19. The Note C is written on a ledger line below the staff. All of these notes
are C.

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 Write E, D, C
20. On the staff below, draw 12 quarter notes on the note E. Put 4 in each
measure.

21. On the staff below, draw 8 half notes on the note D. Put 2 in each measure.

22. On the staff below, draw 4 whole notes on the note C. Put 1 in each measure.

23. Three Types of Rests

A whole rest gets A half rest gets A quarter rest gets

gets 4 beats of silence 2 beats of silence 1 beat of silence

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24. Three Note Review

25. Hot Cross Buns

26. One Note Boogie

27. Au Claire de la Lune

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Reference Page

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28. New Note- F

The note F is written on the first space of the staff

29. New Note- G

The note G is written on the second line of the staff

30. Five Note Scale

31. Tone Builder #1

32. Tone Builder #2

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Clarinet Band Warm-Up
#1 The FIVE NOTE SCALE
C D E F G F E D C
& w w w w w w w w w

#2
Tongue each note...and see how many notes you can go without taking a breath!

& F F F F F F F F F
Ó

& f f f f f f f f f Œ Ó ffffffff f
Œ Ó

#3a
Keep your air steady for the entire exercise!

& F F F F F F F F w
#3b
& F F F F F F F F w

#4 Articulate each note with your tongue...but be sure to keep your air stream going!

& ffff ffff ffff ffff ffff ffff F Ó

#5
Keep fingers curved and close at all times!

& f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f w

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33. Low- Rest- High-Rest

34. Aunt Rhodie

35. Theme from “Jaws”

36. Rain, Rain Go Away

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37. Take Five

38. Three Note Samba

39. El Toro

40. Celebration

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41. Our First Five Notes Warmup

42. Jingle Bells

43. Good King Wenceslas

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Reference Page

30
44. Five Note Review
Fill in the fingering and write the note name. Play each note on your clarinet.

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45. New Note- A

The note G is written on the second space on the staff

46. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

47. Grand March

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48. New Note- Low B

The note B is written on space below the first ledger line of the staff.

49. Grand March (Harmony)

50. Rain Rain, Stay Away

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51. Five Note March

52. Skips

53. This Old Man

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54. Ode to Joy

55. When the Saints Go Marching In

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56. Mary Ann

57. Shoo Fly

58. On the Bridge at Avignon

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59. Lightly Row

60. Bile Them Cabbage Down

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61. Surprise Symphony

62. B-flat Five Note Scale Exercise

63. London Bridge (duet)

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64. Stodola Pumpa

65. Frere Jacques

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66. Mexican Jumping Beans

67. Southern Roses

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