How to Avoid the Dreaded “Third Clarinet Disease”

Kristen Sheridan & Rebecca McFarland

Embouchure issues

Embouchures are not born… they are earned.

Kristen, 5th gradeRebecca, 11th grade

Lower lip: Stretch 10% of colored part of lip over bottom teeth and pull lip flat over

teeth as if saying TEEEE

Jaw Grip: Bite down medium-hard on top of mouthpiece. Use your thumb as a guide.

Corners: Bring in corners to say “EEEEUUUUU”, while still keeping the center of the

lip flat.

REMEMBER: LIP, FINGER EEEEUUUUU

Embouchure Tips

Tongue Position

Tongue should be high inside the mouth as if saying HEEEEE

Feel sides of tongue touching inside of top teeth

FUN FACT!

Squidward’s house is shaped

like a mouthpiece cap AND the register key!

Articulation - it’s easier than you think!

If the tongue is in the proper “EEE“ position, the

tongue should only move a tiny distance from the

tip of the tongue to the tip of the reed.

Use the sound “THEEE” to articulate.

Intonation Issues - THROAT TONES!!

The throat tones are:

OPEN G SIDE KEY G#/Ab A (A key) Bb (A key + register key)

These notes, particularly A, are naturally ~15 cents sharp

What to do?

Use more air! Don’t back away from the note just because it’s sharp.

Resonance fingerings are your friends.

Put down different combinations of RH fingers to bring pitch of G#, A, & Bb down.`

Throat A Throat BbThroat G#/Ab

Good Resonance Fingeringscourtesy of Backun Musical Services

Mouthpiece/Reed Strength GuideCourtesy of D’Addario Woodwinds

D’Addario

EquipmentAny mouthpiece is likely to be better than a stock mouthpiece. Kids do not

need to spend $100+ to have a serviceable setup. However, the more expensive models usually cost more for a reason… they tend to allow for a more beautiful

and consistent sound for all levels.

Good student mouthpieces:

Fobes Debut

Yamaha 4C

Excellent advanced mouthpieces:

D’Addario X0 and X5

Vandoren M30 Lyre, M13 Lyre, BD5

Ensemble Issues Invert once a week (sit the third clarinets in front, firsts in back).

Stagger the section (1,2,3/1,2,3/1,2,3, etc)

52-player shuffle: have every kid in the band sit next to someone that plays a different instrument.

Violin-style seating (winner of audition is 1st, 2nd place is principal second, etc.)

Try rotating and chamber music!

Tone Quality

FAST FINGERS

Method Books We Recommend Beginning

N.W. Hovey. Rubank Beginning Method (Hal

Leonard Publishing, 1992)

George Waln. Elementary Clarinet Method (Alfred

and Belwin Mills Publishing Corp, c. 1956 and 1983)

Fred Weber. Student Instrumental Course: Clarinet

Student and Tunes for Clarinet Technic, Level One

(Alfred Music, c. 2001)

Intermediate

James Collis. Modern Course for the Clarinet,

Books 2 & 3 (Henri Elkan, 1960)

N.W. Hovey. Rubank Intermediate Method (Hal

Leonard publishing, 1949)

Kalmen Opperman. Velocity Studies Intermediate

(Carl Fischer, 1998

Fred Weber. Student Instrumental Course: Clarinet

Student & Tunes for Clarinet Technic, Level Two

(Alfred Music, c. 2001)

AdvancedJ.B. Albert. 24 Varied Scales and Exercises (Carl Fischer, 1905)

James Collis. Modern Course for the Clarinet, Books 4, 5, & 6 (Henri Elkan Publishing, 1960)

Avrahm Galper. Upbeat Scales and Arpeggios (Mel Bay Publishers, 2004)

Wonkak Kim, DMA. Daily Exercises for Clarinet (WK Publishing, 2017)

Phillip O. Paglialonga, DMA. Squeak Big!: Practical Fundamentals for the Successful Clarinetist (Imagine Music, 2015)

Thank you for coming!