If you have been playing for a year or less, and found this video helpful, I highly encourage you to check out my How to Play Clarinet for Beginners video! It is super in-depth and will help you to get a really strong foundation to your clarinet playing: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
Its my fifth year and I feel like I've gotten into the habit of making mistakes i never used too. Things like anchor tounging and even placing my thumb in the wrong place all seem to be new mistakes im making 😆
Absolutely! I’ve been playing for 17 years and still work on embouchure. The cool thing about music is there is an infinite skill ceiling and you can always find ways of doing things better!
I started clarinet at age 18, now i'm 59, I played in the USAF Bands for 23 years, all saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet, bass guitar, and flute.This was a very helpful video!!
@@cassiemack3681 : both instruments are absolutely great! Clarinets are really cool! I think you should keep playing violin but also practice the clarinet, if you want. You’d be an awesome musician 😎
Thank You. Most instructors assume that if they know the basics then everybody does. The struggle when starting off at age 77 is getting past the easy stuff. This is the first vid that has fully explained to me how to feel out the mouthpiece. Thanks. Have'n fun one day at a time.
Yay! I’m glad it was helpful! If you want a really thorough guide to the basics you should check out this video: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
I’m a brand new player, but I play electric guitar professionally. This video was helpful in letting me know paths to avoid. My main issue is with face muscle strength, and not knowing the correctly intonated fingerings. But those are practice things, and thanks to you and others my problems aren’t worse!
I didn’t learn how to tongue properly until after having played clarinet for five years 🤦🏽♀️. I’ve been playing for about 10 or 11 years now and still find myself falling back into old, bad habits at times.
Yes! I played for 3 years before I actually started touching my tongue to the reed, and 15 years later articulation is something I still think a lot about.
I hope this video helped! Moving the fingers too much is super common even for more experienced players. Try playing scales really slow focusing on keeping those fingers close and precise. Good luck on your clarinet journey!
One reed rotation tip I learned elsewhere is numbering of your reeds on the back to keep track of which reed is next in rotation. Also, some reed cases have numbered slots for each reed that can correspond to the numbers you inscribe on the reeds.
I’ve been playing the Clarinet for about 5 years, and this is very helpful! While I have a good knowledge of my instrument, I am still trying to improve everyday.
What an amazing video! Ive been playing clarinet so wrong for many years. Problems like: lack of air support, bad embouchre, too much biting, too much pressure, wrong voicing, bad articulation and the list goes on. Thank you for being here for the clarinet community.
Thank you, I have been playing 3 weeks and found several mistakes that I have been making ie ligature too tight, pressing the keys too tight, and not rotating reeds. Thx again.
This video helped me so much! I just joined band in eighth grade, so everyone else is super ahead of me. I kept screeching whenever I played and I was so close to giving up, and then I found out through this video that I had too much of the mouthpiece in my mouth. I am so friggin happy rn
Yay! I'm glad it was helpful! If you haven't yet, definitely check out this video: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=aHEhWa2myFeg2WaX It will be really helpful for catching up and maybe even passing the others who started earlier than you.
I’m 17 and have played the piano my whole life so wanted to do soemthing completely different, i was definitely pressing too much on the reed thank you!
Bad tonguing was my problem. I played with the wrong tonguing for more than a decade 😅. I always wondered why my staccato is so slow compared to my fingers and why it wouldn't improve. My new teacher then found out what I did wrong all those years. 🤦♀You really mentioned all the most common mistakes. Well done!
I fell into the habit of floating fingers because my old teacher really never paid attention to the clarinet players and didn't really fix any issues, but my new teacher has now been helping and giving me tips for playing correctly. I also play a vandoren 3 or 3.5 reed since i tend to overplay too much with softer reeds.
It can be tricky to catch everything in a band, but that’s great that your current teacher is helping! A 3 or 3.5 is a good strength for most mouthpieces so it sounds like you are doing well!
Awesome! Feel free to peruse my channel and see if there is anything else that might be helpful, and don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions!
I’m a low brass player who is teaching a beginning clarinet class in the fall. Thank you so much for your help! I’m playing clarinet in our city band to get some more practical experience. Do you have some clarinet pedagogy resources that you would recommend looking at?
Awesome! Start with this video: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html Another good thing to check out is my method book, The Next Generation Clarinet Method! Send me an email at quickstartclarinet@gmail.com if you have questions or want more info!
I started learning Clarinet today! I found a Clarinet at a thrift shop several years ago for like $15. Well it just got back from being fixed up and it turns out it's like dummy expensive. So far I've learned 5 notes, and I'm working through the squeaks! I am glad to know I at least used the cork grease correctly! I figure if I practice a little each day I'll slowly work my way up to that nice full rich sound
Been practicing the clarinet for about 2 months and this stuff was very useful, especially the part about reeds, tonguing, and embochure. Thanks for making this.
Awesome, I'm glad it has been helpful! As a beginner, I highly recommend checking out this video if you haven't seen it yet: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
Do you have tips to play third octave notes? I’m able to play the third octave G but not the F sharp which is super weird. Either way, my third octave notes are extremely ear piercing.
I will have to dive in to some altissimo stuff in a future video for sure! That actually isn’t weird at all. F# is a much less stable note than G. I highly recommend www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/cl_alt_3.html to check out the different fingerings for the altissimo notes. The fingerings up there make a huge difference on how it feels and how in tune the notes are. At the end of the day though they are really high. Make sure you aren’t trying to squeeze them out but they will always sound high and a little shrill.
I had been playing clarinet for around 3-4 years and I was never taught by my band teachers or anyone how to tongue. So it's time for me to start learning.
Hi. Very good info. You are a lovely player. Have you spoken about using your pinky on the low keys. Also info on right thumb area which holds up the clarinet. It can be adjusted there. Hope you know what I mean beginner to clarinet
Thank you! Here is a video on which pinky to use: th-cam.com/video/hMGbK5sCdNg/w-d-xo.html Here is a video on hand position: th-cam.com/video/GE-Aeyd_l3k/w-d-xo.html Here is a pinky exercise: th-cam.com/video/sI-qc5Mul4k/w-d-xo.html And here is a video from Michelle Anderson of Clarinet Mentors that has good thumb position information: th-cam.com/video/vyVfMI5Na70/w-d-xo.html I hope those are helpful and remember one of my favorite rules of hand position which is independent motion. Really make sure as you start moving those pinkies that only the pinky is moving independently and it isn’t making any other fingers move.
They are mostly acceptable and can be quite great! I don’t know any professionals who use fiber cell, I think the Venn reeds have a lot of potential but aren’t “mainstream” yet, Legere reeds, especially the European cut, are great, and many professionals play on them exclusively and sound fantastic!
great video. i played sax for a few months but gave it up because it was so heavy. Ive been playing an alto recorder for about 2 years getting ready to transition to a clarinet. this was very informative, thank you.
Awesome, good luck with learning clarinet! If you haven't seen this video yet, it will be very helpful for getting started on clarinet: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=RPOFg60_mFoy5A6E
i’m a junior in high school this year and i’ve been playing since 6th grade and i anchor tongued up until this recent July of 2020 💀 i mean i tongue with the tip now and it was eventually an adjustment but still an oof
That can be a hard adjustment for sure! This video would be a good exercise for working on being aware of that tongue motion and making sure it is the tip of your tongue touching the tip of the reed. Good luck! th-cam.com/video/U13rvkUDyfg/w-d-xo.html
I played for three years when I was a kid and now as an adult I came back to it (learning on my own now) and the tonguing is so far the biggest challenge
Tonguing has been a big challenge for me all throughout my clarinet playing too! It is so hard to teach and learn because we can’t actually see what is going on in our mouths.
Hey man, I loved the vid and I hope you could help me with a problem I have. I squeak on the high notes, high g and up when I play directly on that note, not playing from e to g for example, playing g first(sorry for the explanation). Also, I have this really bad grouching noise when I play a high note directly and it’s quite uncomfortable to play. I use a 2.5 Rico Reed on my b40 buffet clarinet. What Reed should I use? What can I do to fix the growling and squeaking? Hope you can help. Thank you! 🙏
The trick to starting on the high notes is you have to feel like the note is already going before you start, so the air is in position, the embouchure is exactly the right pressure, etc. It is really easy to squeeze a little too tight or not have the air moving just right at the starts of notes. If your reed is too soft which a 2.5 Rico orange box probably is that will make the high notes generally more difficult. Check out my video on reed strengths for help knowing what is best for your set up: th-cam.com/video/JBLBdrFMP8o/w-d-xo.html Let me know if you have any other questions!
Idk if theres a fix to it, but I'm double-jointed in my fingers and when I play for a while my right pinkie seizes up and locks when i play a high C or low F. Can this be fixed or do I have to just live with it lol
That is tricky. I am not double jointed myself, but I would say if it works sometimes but not always then you should be able to build up the endurance and muscle memory so you can do it all the time with enough practice. Do be sure that you are paying close attention to your hand position though and that that isn’t changing as you play.
My pinkies are the same way. I've been playing various instruments for 18 years (but just starting clarinet) and my pinkies have gained strength over the years but they'll still lock up on occasion during a longer play session even on my main instrument (bass guitar). Might have to use the tip of the pinky instead of the pad just to avoid it collapsing inward even if it's not good form if it's bad enough until it gains more strength.
Hello, I have the same issue and when that happens I try not to bend the middle or last joint, I try to bend the first joint if I need to use it quick, otherwise I would try to relax your finger or hand because the locking is most likely from strain on the joint and I find it works well.
I'm a longtime saxophonist learning clarinet. I have a friend who has been playing the same reed for 4 years straight and has no issues (on tenor sax). Since I started playing alto sax more than 7 years ago, i have gone through no more than 2 or 3 reeds each year.
Oof! I am all for making reeds last. However, with how much reeds vary if you have only ever played on 20 reeds or less then you probably haven’t even played on a really good reed yet. Reeds are annoying, but the only way to really feel good about them is to play a lot of them so you know what is good and what is bad and you can find more good ones.
It is actually a Bonade inverted ligature that is gold. The Rico ligatures are good too though and the Rovner’s are great as well. The best thing to do with equipment is to just try as much as you can to see what makes it the easiest for you to play the music you want and sound how you want. You might find this video interesting: th-cam.com/video/rz9XQ0CISLA/w-d-xo.html
This was extremely helpful! All region is coming up and although I've been practicing with my tutor and at home I wanted to get rid of this airy sound I seemed to be getting. Plus, I've been anchor tonguing for a while and my tutor pointed it out. It's a hard change to make, but the notes sound much cleaner!
I’m glad it was helpful! Good luck with your audition! If you want some more audition specific tips you should check out this video that I did about that: th-cam.com/video/AuDukGZ2Fz8/w-d-xo.html
Hey, I just started my journey on the clarinet last September. I’m definitely going to be needing this. But it’s like whenever I’m playing I got my posture right, but it’s like When I play my clarinet sounds.,. Static-ey. It’s hard for me to describe. But do you know how to fix that?
That staticky or airy sound comes from the reed not vibrating fully. Most commonly this is from not strong enough air, embouchure issues, or a too hard or warped reed. Try watching this video on embouchure and see if that helps! th-cam.com/video/bP71VODlBIc/w-d-xo.html
I am a beginner clarinetist, I remember one time in band I finally got some actual notes out of my clarinet after some squeaking. But, when I play at my house I get lots of squeaks. I only got some notes out of my clarinet for a very short time, twice. Is there a fix for this squeaking?
I am now playing very well! I like the masks during band though, most of the time the band teacher can see my cheeks puffing. 😁 Turns out I was putting to much of the mouth piece in my mouth.
Yay! There is nothing to be afraid of the worst that can happen are some bad sounds. Be sure to check out my how to play clarinet for beginners video when you get started! th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
Very helpful video. The only mistake I make out of all those 10 listed is not rotating the reeds enough, and my finger work needs a little improvement, but otherwise I'm doing fairly well. I played my clarinet for the first time ever in public last night at a church soiree, and although scary, it was great fun, and I got some compliments about it too. I would love to play my clarinet and also hopefully my oboe in our music group at church. That would be lovely!!
I squeezed my fingers because the spings of my clarinet were too tense. After having them adjusted, it was solved, but it still took some time before I “unlearned” squeezing. What improved my airstream was when I put my shoulders back. Both this video and the new one about mistakes are very helpful.
The rotating reeds thing is something I should have been doing a long time ago. Our band teacher was always telling us that our reeds should last us about a month if we are using them correctly, but mine always chip or squeak after about 2 weeks. I have 4 reeds in my case 3 are for rotating( I only have three days of the week that we have band ) and the other is for a backup.
Just a question,i am a saxophone player, and i have intention to play clarinet,because our school bands lack clarinets section .What clarinets i should begin Bb soprano or Eb alto ? I would go for an alto because it transpose the same way than my saxophone but is it a good idea ?
Definitely Bb soprano. Even though Eb is the same transposition as alto sax the Eb alto clarinet is a pretty uncommon instrument that doesn’t have very much music written for it, at least in comparison to the Bb clarinet.
Thank you. I am new to a reed instrument. But I am finding that no matter how much I practice I am so breathless and worn out when playing. Any tips? Thank you.
Remembed that a good sound is all about getting the reed vibrating. Make sure that you have enough mouthpiece/reed in your mouth (the more the better until you start squawking). Make sure you aren’t putting too much pressure on the reed with your bottom lip. Think about bringing the corners of the embouchure in and forward and really anchoring the clarinet up into the top teeth and lip. Make sure your reed isn’t too soft or too hard. Think about blowing parallel to the ground with a nice focused and flowing air stream. I hope that helps!
Great! That’s a decent brand. You can start by trying to play it but chances are there are quite a lot of things that need repaired. I would recommend taking it to a local repair person and telling them you are a beginner and you would like to get it set up so it is playable. It may be about $100 depending on where you are and how much work it needs but it should be in pretty good shape and last you a while after that!
Definitely! It may be more depending on how much work it needs, but be sure to take it to an independent repair person or dedicated repair shop and not a general music store because it is easier to be specific about getting a certain amount of work done and it is generally cheaper and faster too.
I am using a D’addario Reserve Evolution size 4 with a Ramon Wodkowski 1 mouthpiece. This video will help you with everything you need to know about reed strengths: th-cam.com/video/JBLBdrFMP8o/w-d-xo.html Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hi! I’ve been playing in beginning band since the start of the school year, around September?! I’ve been having problems with my embouchure. I’ve struggled with this for a while, even since the beginning. I just feel like I’m not doing it well. Like I don’t know how people have the flat chin, straight lip embouchure and play so smoothly and nice. Like, lately, after only like 10-15 minutes of playing, my mouth gives up on me. Like it no longer wants to play cuz it just gets so tired. And if I try to combat it, it’s way too uncomfortable and I just give out. It’s so frustrating. Even if I play a long piece, for example rise of the bladesmith, right when I get to the middle of it, my embouchure gets tired as well as my mouth. I’ve got to admit, I don’t practice every day. So maybe it’s an endurance problem and a not practicing enough problem. I told my teacher about it and she just says to practice more for less amount of time. But I can’t do that because I have a contest on the 27th of April and I’m panicking. Not only do I think it’s a practicing not enough problem, but my embouchure as well. Also, lately, I’ve been squeaking on high notes. Especially A, B flat (pincher), C, and long finger b. For a concert/ contest I’m going to be playing rise of the bladesmith and return of the dust bunnies part a and I have to play lots of a’s and pincher b’s and I can’t because I always squeak on it. I also have a solo I believe too. I’ve tried viewing videos and articles but they just don’t help. And I don’t want to hire a private instructor because my family doesn’t have the money for that So, do you have any tips for 1. Improving endurance (especially in long pieces of music) 2. Better breath control/ air support 3: correct/ better embouchure 4: stop squeaking so often (especially high notes) 5: fingers not flying off of clarinet every time you switch a note If you can write out a written response or maybe link some videos that’ll help, it’ll be very appreciated! -thanks, beginner clarinetist
It is definitely abnormal to only be able to play 10-15 minutes without getting tired. The two things to check are: 1. Make sure you aren't playing on too hard of a reed: th-cam.com/video/JBLBdrFMP8o/w-d-xo.html 2. I think the more likely solution is to make sure that you are using your big jaw muscles to engage the reed rather than your little lip muscles. This video will help with that: th-cam.com/video/qTW8w7dnd9Y/w-d-xo.html I think the embouchure stuff should fix the squeaks as well, but this video may be helpful for squeaking too: th-cam.com/video/5RnSD8uvTVI/w-d-xo.html Good luck, and don't stress! Remember that music isn't that high stakes, nobody will die if you make a mistake.
Gotta love those music teachers and co musicians that see these mistakes and say NOTHING, it's my 6th year and I just found out I've been holding my clairnet WAY to low and it was much harder to play....no one ever said anything to me
It is so hard to catch everything and take the time to fix everything in a large group, and it can also be really hard to take private lessons with a good teacher, which is a big reason why I created QuickStart Clarinet!
![[Back to Basics] Fix the Fuzzy, Airy Clarinet Sound](/img/n.gif)
If you have been playing for a year or less, and found this video helpful, I highly encourage you to check out my How to Play Clarinet for Beginners video! It is super in-depth and will help you to get a really strong foundation to your clarinet playing: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
Honestly, this is good for clarinetists regardless of experience. This is my 8th year, and this stuff was still helpful.
Yay! I’m glad it was helpful!
Its my fifth year and I feel like I've gotten into the habit of making mistakes i never used too. Things like anchor tounging and even placing my thumb in the wrong place all seem to be new mistakes im making 😆
This is my 4th year and my embouchure still needs some improving!
Same here
Absolutely! I’ve been playing for 17 years and still work on embouchure. The cool thing about music is there is an infinite skill ceiling and you can always find ways of doing things better!
I am 42 and just started to learn clarinet by myself and it is great! I can play slow songs with backing. Never too late to learn something new!
That’s awesome! Keep having fun with it!
Ha! Me 37, I started last year. I really enjoy it!
I’m 19 and just started that actually makes me confident
I have 10 more years on you. I'm 52 and have my very first lesson this week.
@@bevtooth You will enjoy it!
I started clarinet at age 18, now i'm 59, I played in the USAF Bands for 23 years, all saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet, bass guitar, and flute.This was a very helpful video!!
I’ve been playing clarinet for 3 years 👉🏼👈🏼
How do you like playing clarinet?? I play the violin and I’m switching to clarinet
Idk I’m a flute player lol and I’m watching this
@@cassiemack3681 : both instruments are absolutely great! Clarinets are really cool! I think you should keep playing violin but also practice the clarinet, if you want. You’d be an awesome musician 😎
@@chickenburgerc4122 thank you so much!!!
Violin and clarinet go well together. The clarinet always has to play the violin parts in orchestral transcriptions for band.
Thank You. Most instructors assume that if they know the basics then everybody does. The struggle when starting off at age 77 is getting past the easy stuff. This is the first vid that has fully explained to me how to feel out the mouthpiece. Thanks. Have'n fun one day at a time.
Yay! I’m glad it was helpful! If you want a really thorough guide to the basics you should check out this video: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
me too--age 78
Thank you so much, my clarinet tone and technique improved greatly after watching this video!
Yay! I’m happy to be able to help!
I’m a brand new player, but I play electric guitar professionally. This video was helpful in letting me know paths to avoid. My main issue is with face muscle strength, and not knowing the correctly intonated fingerings. But those are practice things, and thanks to you and others my problems aren’t worse!
Practice is key! This video might be helpful for the face muscles: th-cam.com/video/qTW8w7dnd9Y/w-d-xo.html
Hey! I also am learning clarinet as my secondary instrument over guitar!
I’ve been struggling for months. The tip about not tightening the ligature too much has made a huge difference! Thank you!
Awesome! I’m glad it helped!
I didn’t learn how to tongue properly until after having played clarinet for five years 🤦🏽♀️. I’ve been playing for about 10 or 11 years now and still find myself falling back into old, bad habits at times.
Yes! I played for 3 years before I actually started touching my tongue to the reed, and 15 years later articulation is something I still think a lot about.
OMG I used to tongue the inside of my mouth instead of the reed
i’ve been playing a year now, and this helped me so much. i’m going into highschool next year and this is a good review!
That’s great! Best wishes on your clarinet journey!
thx for the advice, I'm a beginner clarinet and I feel like I usually am moving my fingers to much.
I hope this video helped! Moving the fingers too much is super common even for more experienced players. Try playing scales really slow focusing on keeping those fingers close and precise. Good luck on your clarinet journey!
@@QuickStartClarinet Well It's been a few years and i'm in highschool now and it's been quite a journey, thx for this video lol
One reed rotation tip I learned elsewhere is numbering of your reeds on the back to keep track of which reed is next in rotation. Also, some reed cases have numbered slots for each reed that can correspond to the numbers you inscribe on the reeds.
I’ve been playing the Clarinet for about 5 years, and this is very helpful! While I have a good knowledge of my instrument, I am still trying to improve everyday.
I’m glad you found it helpful! I have been playing for 17 years and I am still trying to improve everyday too!
What an amazing video! Ive been playing clarinet so wrong for many years. Problems like: lack of air support, bad embouchre, too much biting, too much pressure, wrong voicing, bad articulation and the list goes on.
Thank you for being here for the clarinet community.
Thanks for watching! I’m glad you found it helpful. It is really meaningful to know people are getting value from my videos!
Thank you, I have been playing 3 weeks and found several mistakes that I have been making ie ligature too tight, pressing the keys too tight, and not rotating reeds. Thx again.
I'm glad it was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions and best wishes on your clarinet journey!
Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you liked it!
“Always blame the reed” I felt that in my soul😂
I got my clarinet fixed a few weeks ago and it has TOTALLY changed the way how I play. Now, I'm squeaking less.
Having your instrument in good repair can absolutely be a game changer!
Just started clarinet love it
This video helped me so much! I just joined band in eighth grade, so everyone else is super ahead of me. I kept screeching whenever I played and I was so close to giving up, and then I found out through this video that I had too much of the mouthpiece in my mouth. I am so friggin happy rn
Yay! I'm glad it was helpful! If you haven't yet, definitely check out this video: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=aHEhWa2myFeg2WaX It will be really helpful for catching up and maybe even passing the others who started earlier than you.
I’m 17 and have played the piano my whole life so wanted to do soemthing completely different, i was definitely pressing too much on the reed thank you!
Awesome! Good luck on your clarinet journey!
Im in beginner band at my middle school and these tips really help!
Yay! Most of the inspiration for my videos is things I wish I knew when I was your age :-)
ive been playing for years and i didnt know the too tight ligature one, thanks!!!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you learned something new!
Bad tonguing was my problem. I played with the wrong tonguing for more than a decade 😅. I always wondered why my staccato is so slow compared to my fingers and why it wouldn't improve. My new teacher then found out what I did wrong all those years. 🤦♀You really mentioned all the most common mistakes. Well done!
I’m glad your teacher was able to figure it out, and best wishes for continuing to improve it!
I’m looking into getting and learning the clarinet so I’m here for tips! I used to play the alto saxophone
Clarinet is a lot of fun! I hope you like it!
Beautiful advice. Came here for advice just for a fact check. Really helped me!
Yay! I’m glad it was helpful!
I just started playing the clarinet and this helps a lot
Yay! Good luck with it, and feel free to let me know if you have any questions!
@@QuickStartClarinet ok tysmmm
I've been a beginner for forty years now. I'm still making every one of those mistakes. Good advice!!
I'm glad it was relevant for you even after all those years, and hopefully helpful too!
I fell into the habit of floating fingers because my old teacher really never paid attention to the clarinet players and didn't really fix any issues, but my new teacher has now been helping and giving me tips for playing correctly. I also play a vandoren 3 or 3.5 reed since i tend to overplay too much with softer reeds.
It can be tricky to catch everything in a band, but that’s great that your current teacher is helping! A 3 or 3.5 is a good strength for most mouthpieces so it sounds like you are doing well!
I am a new clarinet player, and this helped me a lot with taking care of my clarinet and fixing my playing
Awesome! Feel free to peruse my channel and see if there is anything else that might be helpful, and don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions!
I’m a low brass player who is teaching a beginning clarinet class in the fall. Thank you so much for your help! I’m playing clarinet in our city band to get some more practical experience. Do you have some clarinet pedagogy resources that you would recommend looking at?
Awesome! Start with this video: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
Another good thing to check out is my method book, The Next Generation Clarinet Method! Send me an email at quickstartclarinet@gmail.com if you have questions or want more info!
Thank you for the tips! The rotating reed tip was really helpful!
Awesome, I'm glad it was helpful!
I started learning Clarinet today! I found a Clarinet at a thrift shop several years ago for like $15. Well it just got back from being fixed up and it turns out it's like dummy expensive. So far I've learned 5 notes, and I'm working through the squeaks! I am glad to know I at least used the cork grease correctly! I figure if I practice a little each day I'll slowly work my way up to that nice full rich sound
That’s awesome! If you haven’t seen my how to play clarinet video yet, be sure to check it out! th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
Been practicing the clarinet for about 2 months and this stuff was very useful, especially the part about reeds, tonguing, and embochure. Thanks for making this.
Awesome, I'm glad it has been helpful! As a beginner, I highly recommend checking out this video if you haven't seen it yet: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
I've played clarinet for 3 years but didn't know how to put on cork grease until now. Thank you
Awesome, I'm glad you got something useful out of the video!
Do you have tips to play third octave notes? I’m able to play the third octave G but not the F sharp which is super weird. Either way, my third octave notes are extremely ear piercing.
I will have to dive in to some altissimo stuff in a future video for sure! That actually isn’t weird at all. F# is a much less stable note than G. I highly recommend www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/cl_alt_3.html to check out the different fingerings for the altissimo notes. The fingerings up there make a huge difference on how it feels and how in tune the notes are. At the end of the day though they are really high. Make sure you aren’t trying to squeeze them out but they will always sound high and a little shrill.
I just released a video about the altissimo. I hope it helps you! th-cam.com/video/F9tbDjCGDo0/w-d-xo.html
Try playing with more Air.
Always my favorite answer! ❤️
Wow, good stuff thank you!!
Glad you liked it!
Thankyou! A couple of gold nuggets for me :)
You’re welcome!
Excellent advice. Thank you!
I am Nadiya and I love your videos because they alway help me improve my clarinet and thank you so much for that so please keep doing what you are👍🏽
I’m glad you enjoy them!
I had been playing clarinet for around 3-4 years and I was never taught by my band teachers or anyone how to tongue. So it's time for me to start learning.
Yes! Check out this video: th-cam.com/video/iJPDl0MqlzU/w-d-xo.html
Good luck getting it!
Hi. Very good info. You are a lovely player. Have you spoken about using your pinky on the low keys. Also info on right thumb area which holds up the clarinet. It can be adjusted there. Hope you know what I mean beginner to clarinet
Thank you!
Here is a video on which pinky to use: th-cam.com/video/hMGbK5sCdNg/w-d-xo.html
Here is a video on hand position: th-cam.com/video/GE-Aeyd_l3k/w-d-xo.html
Here is a pinky exercise: th-cam.com/video/sI-qc5Mul4k/w-d-xo.html
And here is a video from Michelle Anderson of Clarinet Mentors that has good thumb position information: th-cam.com/video/vyVfMI5Na70/w-d-xo.html
I hope those are helpful and remember one of my favorite rules of hand position which is independent motion. Really make sure as you start moving those pinkies that only the pinky is moving independently and it isn’t making any other fingers move.
What about using synthetic reeds like a legere, vein or fiber cell?
They are mostly acceptable and can be quite great! I don’t know any professionals who use fiber cell, I think the Venn reeds have a lot of potential but aren’t “mainstream” yet, Legere reeds, especially the European cut, are great, and many professionals play on them exclusively and sound fantastic!
I’ve used the legere on my tenor sax and most people do not even realize I am using a synthetic reed.
great video. i played sax for a few months but gave it up because it was so heavy. Ive been playing an alto recorder for about 2 years getting ready to transition to a clarinet. this was very informative, thank you.
Awesome, good luck with learning clarinet! If you haven't seen this video yet, it will be very helpful for getting started on clarinet: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=RPOFg60_mFoy5A6E
Just started so ty for this vid!
Thank You for number 2. i'm one week in and had no idea.
You're welcome, and I'm glad it helped!
This is a wonderful job on this video ! ! !
Thanks, I hope it was helpful for you!
love the musical couch
Brilliant tips thank you. I'm 2 days in and this was very very helpful!
i’m a junior in high school this year and i’ve been playing since 6th grade and i anchor tongued up until this recent July of 2020 💀 i mean i tongue with the tip now and it was eventually an adjustment but still an oof
That can be a hard adjustment for sure! This video would be a good exercise for working on being aware of that tongue motion and making sure it is the tip of your tongue touching the tip of the reed. Good luck! th-cam.com/video/U13rvkUDyfg/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for this video! I'm getting my first clarinet soon, I can't wait!
That's awesome! Be sure to check out my beginners guide as well that will be really helpful for you: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
I played for three years when I was a kid and now as an adult I came back to it (learning on my own now) and the tonguing is so far the biggest challenge
Also wondered why I was HONKING
Tonguing has been a big challenge for me all throughout my clarinet playing too! It is so hard to teach and learn because we can’t actually see what is going on in our mouths.
Hey man, I loved the vid and I hope you could help me with a problem I have.
I squeak on the high notes, high g and up when I play directly on that note, not playing from e to g for example, playing g first(sorry for the explanation). Also, I have this really bad grouching noise when I play a high note directly and it’s quite uncomfortable to play.
I use a 2.5 Rico Reed on my b40 buffet clarinet. What Reed should I use? What can I do to fix the growling and squeaking?
Hope you can help. Thank you! 🙏
The trick to starting on the high notes is you have to feel like the note is already going before you start, so the air is in position, the embouchure is exactly the right pressure, etc. It is really easy to squeeze a little too tight or not have the air moving just right at the starts of notes.
If your reed is too soft which a 2.5 Rico orange box probably is that will make the high notes generally more difficult.
Check out my video on reed strengths for help knowing what is best for your set up:
th-cam.com/video/JBLBdrFMP8o/w-d-xo.html
Let me know if you have any other questions!
If it squeaks, it's because the reed is dry, the finger is not fully covering the hole, a warped Reed, or a warped mouthpiece .
Try out vandoren traditional blue box, 2.5, 3 or 3.5. ( the all time reed standard)
@@grantkoeller8911 Yes I’m using vandorren 3
How long should I lick my Reed/put in water?
Thanks for the advice!
You’re welcome, I hope it is helpful!
Idk if theres a fix to it, but I'm double-jointed in my fingers and when I play for a while my right pinkie seizes up and locks when i play a high C or low F. Can this be fixed or do I have to just live with it lol
That is tricky. I am not double jointed myself, but I would say if it works sometimes but not always then you should be able to build up the endurance and muscle memory so you can do it all the time with enough practice.
Do be sure that you are paying close attention to your hand position though and that that isn’t changing as you play.
My pinkies are the same way. I've been playing various instruments for 18 years (but just starting clarinet) and my pinkies have gained strength over the years but they'll still lock up on occasion during a longer play session even on my main instrument (bass guitar). Might have to use the tip of the pinky instead of the pad just to avoid it collapsing inward even if it's not good form if it's bad enough until it gains more strength.
Hello, I have the same issue and when that happens I try not to bend the middle or last joint, I try to bend the first joint if I need to use it quick, otherwise I would try to relax your finger or hand because the locking is most likely from strain on the joint and I find it works well.
oh my god, i’m double jointed too but i thought the pinky thing was just my fingers being weird ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡
I'm a longtime saxophonist learning clarinet. I have a friend who has been playing the same reed for 4 years straight and has no issues (on tenor sax). Since I started playing alto sax more than 7 years ago, i have gone through no more than 2 or 3 reeds each year.
Oof! I am all for making reeds last. However, with how much reeds vary if you have only ever played on 20 reeds or less then you probably haven’t even played on a really good reed yet. Reeds are annoying, but the only way to really feel good about them is to play a lot of them so you know what is good and what is bad and you can find more good ones.
Clarinet just got here and I'm starting thought I'd check a few videos
Yay! Check out my How to Play Clarinet Guide for Beginners: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
Awesome, just what I needed! Subscribed! Cheers from Argentina
Excellent! Let me know if you have any questions!
I’ve been playing for 5 years so This will help a lot though the years
Yay, I'm glad it was helpful!
Good job! Enjoyed your presentation :)
Thank you great information!
You’re welcome. I hope it is helpful!
I suggest this so in my reed case i have them numbered the 1st reed is the best and i don't use it much and that makes the reed last longer
thank you, i didn't know about half of these!
hello i guess you are using rico h gold ligature. I want to buy a rovner versa ligature would you also suggest? Or is buying rico enough?
It is actually a Bonade inverted ligature that is gold. The Rico ligatures are good too though and the Rovner’s are great as well. The best thing to do with equipment is to just try as much as you can to see what makes it the easiest for you to play the music you want and sound how you want. You might find this video interesting: th-cam.com/video/rz9XQ0CISLA/w-d-xo.html
Thank you so much for this video. This is everything that my teacher didn't tell me
You’re welcome! I’m glad it was helpful!
This was extremely helpful! All region is coming up and although I've been practicing with my tutor and at home I wanted to get rid of this airy sound I seemed to be getting. Plus, I've been anchor tonguing for a while and my tutor pointed it out. It's a hard change to make, but the notes sound much cleaner!
I’m glad it was helpful! Good luck with your audition! If you want some more audition specific tips you should check out this video that I did about that: th-cam.com/video/AuDukGZ2Fz8/w-d-xo.html
How’s it going this year?
@@Mitskienthusiast It is definitely much better. I have greatly improved since last year!
Thanks for this. I bought a clarinet today. I'm on day one!
Nice! Be sure to check out my guide for beginners: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
Regarding using too much cork grease, how is that a mistake? I may have missed your explanation. Thanks
It's just something that people commonly do wrong.
Hey, I just started my journey on the clarinet last September. I’m definitely going to be needing this. But it’s like whenever I’m playing I got my posture right, but it’s like When I play my clarinet sounds.,. Static-ey. It’s hard for me to describe. But do you know how to fix that?
That staticky or airy sound comes from the reed not vibrating fully. Most commonly this is from not strong enough air, embouchure issues, or a too hard or warped reed.
Try watching this video on embouchure and see if that helps!
th-cam.com/video/bP71VODlBIc/w-d-xo.html
I love the clear Runyon mouthpiece patch using 3M material. They last for about 2 to 3 years!!!
Thank you for the tips!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching!
This was helpful, thank you
You’re welcome!
Thank you!! This was very helpful 👍🏼
Ive been playing for four years and didnt know some of these! This was helpful!
Yay, I’m glad it was helpful! Let me know if you have any questions! There is always more to learn and you don’t know what you don’t know.
I am a beginner clarinetist, I remember one time in band I finally got some actual notes out of my clarinet after some squeaking. But, when I play at my house I get lots of squeaks. I only got some notes out of my clarinet for a very short time, twice. Is there a fix for this squeaking?
There are so many potential causes for squeaking. Here is a video I did that may help! th-cam.com/video/5RnSD8uvTVI/w-d-xo.html
@@QuickStartClarinet Thank you!
I am now playing very well! I like the masks during band though, most of the time the band teacher can see my cheeks puffing. 😁 Turns out I was putting to much of the mouth piece in my mouth.
Thank you sooo much!!
This video should be helpful as I get my first clarinet! Thanks
You’re welcome! Be sure to check out my how to play clarinet guide for beginners: th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
what is the name of your clarinet barrel and where can i buy it?
In this video it was a Paulus & Schuler Zoom Barrel. Now I play on a Brad Behn EVO barrel. You should be able to find them online!
how long have you played for, I have played for 3 years
I have been playing for about 15 years!
I'm going to start playing the clarinet next year, im so scared but excited at the same time 😭😭 thank you for the corrections!
Yay! There is nothing to be afraid of the worst that can happen are some bad sounds. Be sure to check out my how to play clarinet for beginners video when you get started! th-cam.com/video/8aRC6wHDfUE/w-d-xo.html
@@QuickStartClarinet thank you!!
Very helpful video. The only mistake I make out of all those 10 listed is not rotating the reeds enough, and my finger work needs a little improvement, but otherwise I'm doing fairly well. I played my clarinet for the first time ever in public last night at a church soiree, and although scary, it was great fun, and I got some compliments about it too. I would love to play my clarinet and also hopefully my oboe in our music group at church. That would be lovely!!
Congratulations on playing for people! Music is the best when we get to share it with others!
I squeezed my fingers because the spings of my clarinet were too tense. After having them adjusted, it was solved, but it still took some time before I “unlearned” squeezing. What improved my airstream was when I put my shoulders back. Both this video and the new one about mistakes are very helpful.
I’m glad you found them helpful!
The rotating reeds thing is something I should have been doing a long time ago. Our band teacher was always telling us that our reeds should last us about a month if we are using them correctly, but mine always chip or squeak after about 2 weeks. I have 4 reeds in my case 3 are for rotating( I only have three days of the week that we have band ) and the other is for a backup.
Yes! That is super important!
Great lesson.
Great ligature tip!
Glad you think so!
Gotta know this for my band class thanks man
Just a question,i am a saxophone player, and i have intention to play clarinet,because our school bands lack clarinets section .What clarinets i should begin Bb soprano or Eb alto ? I would go for an alto because it transpose the same way than my saxophone but is it a good idea ?
Definitely Bb soprano. Even though Eb is the same transposition as alto sax the Eb alto clarinet is a pretty uncommon instrument that doesn’t have very much music written for it, at least in comparison to the Bb clarinet.
@@QuickStartClarinet ok , thank you for your advice :)
This has been very helpful information. Thank you for posting this! 👍
Yay! I’m glad it was helpful!
thanks much!
Thank you. I am new to a reed instrument. But I am finding that no matter how much I practice I am so breathless and worn out when playing. Any tips? Thank you.
Remembed that a good sound is all about getting the reed vibrating. Make sure that you have enough mouthpiece/reed in your mouth (the more the better until you start squawking). Make sure you aren’t putting too much pressure on the reed with your bottom lip. Think about bringing the corners of the embouchure in and forward and really anchoring the clarinet up into the top teeth and lip. Make sure your reed isn’t too soft or too hard. Think about blowing parallel to the ground with a nice focused and flowing air stream. I hope that helps!
Here is a video about reed strength: th-cam.com/video/JBLBdrFMP8o/w-d-xo.html
Thank you.
What would you recommend for some one who bought a used clarinet for 25 bucks 5 years ago
What brand is it?
@@QuickStartClarinet conn
Great! That’s a decent brand. You can start by trying to play it but chances are there are quite a lot of things that need repaired. I would recommend taking it to a local repair person and telling them you are a beginner and you would like to get it set up so it is playable. It may be about $100 depending on where you are and how much work it needs but it should be in pretty good shape and last you a while after that!
@@QuickStartClarinet thanks for the information I will have to do that because 100 dollars or so is a lot cheaper then what new clarinets go for.
Definitely! It may be more depending on how much work it needs, but be sure to take it to an independent repair person or dedicated repair shop and not a general music store because it is easier to be specific about getting a certain amount of work done and it is generally cheaper and faster too.
Wait I'm in 8th grade band and I was wondering what Reed are you using? Also can I use it in 8th grade?
I am using a D’addario Reserve Evolution size 4 with a Ramon Wodkowski 1 mouthpiece. This video will help you with everything you need to know about reed strengths: th-cam.com/video/JBLBdrFMP8o/w-d-xo.html
Let me know if you have any other questions!
I'm in 8th grade and my band teacher told me to use a size 3.5
Trying to relearn after not having played for like a year, thanks man
You’re welcome! Have fun getting back into it.
Hi! I’ve been playing in beginning band since the start of the school year, around September?! I’ve been having problems with my embouchure. I’ve struggled with this for a while, even since the beginning. I just feel like I’m not doing it well. Like I don’t know how people have the flat chin, straight lip embouchure and play so smoothly and nice.
Like, lately, after only like 10-15 minutes of playing, my mouth gives up on me. Like it no longer wants to play cuz it just gets so tired. And if I try to combat it, it’s way too uncomfortable and I just give out. It’s so frustrating. Even if I play a long piece, for example rise of the bladesmith, right when I get to the middle of it, my embouchure gets tired as well as my mouth.
I’ve got to admit, I don’t practice every day. So maybe it’s an endurance problem and a not practicing enough problem. I told my teacher about it and she just says to practice more for less amount of time. But I can’t do that because I have a contest on the 27th of April and I’m panicking.
Not only do I think it’s a practicing not enough problem, but my embouchure as well.
Also, lately, I’ve been squeaking on high notes. Especially A, B flat (pincher), C, and long finger b. For a concert/ contest I’m going to be playing rise of the bladesmith and return of the dust bunnies part a and I have to play lots of a’s and pincher b’s and I can’t because I always squeak on it. I also have a solo I believe too.
I’ve tried viewing videos and articles but they just don’t help. And I don’t want to hire a private instructor because my family doesn’t have the money for that
So, do you have any tips for
1. Improving endurance (especially in long pieces of music)
2. Better breath control/ air support
3: correct/ better embouchure
4: stop squeaking so often (especially high notes)
5: fingers not flying off of clarinet every time you switch a note
If you can write out a written response or maybe link some videos that’ll help, it’ll be very appreciated!
-thanks, beginner clarinetist
It is definitely abnormal to only be able to play 10-15 minutes without getting tired. The two things to check are:
1. Make sure you aren't playing on too hard of a reed: th-cam.com/video/JBLBdrFMP8o/w-d-xo.html
2. I think the more likely solution is to make sure that you are using your big jaw muscles to engage the reed rather than your little lip muscles. This video will help with that: th-cam.com/video/qTW8w7dnd9Y/w-d-xo.html
I think the embouchure stuff should fix the squeaks as well, but this video may be helpful for squeaking too: th-cam.com/video/5RnSD8uvTVI/w-d-xo.html
Good luck, and don't stress! Remember that music isn't that high stakes, nobody will die if you make a mistake.
Overtightened ligature was the issue! Thanks! No more squeaks(:
What reeds do you recommend? Rico reeds seem to be the primary option and I have no idea what else to buy.
I recommend Vandoren or D’addario reeds. This video may be helpful for you as well: th-cam.com/video/JBLBdrFMP8o/w-d-xo.html
Thank you!
Gotta love those music teachers and co musicians that see these mistakes and say NOTHING, it's my 6th year and I just found out I've been holding my clairnet WAY to low and it was much harder to play....no one ever said anything to me
It is so hard to catch everything and take the time to fix everything in a large group, and it can also be really hard to take private lessons with a good teacher, which is a big reason why I created QuickStart Clarinet!
thank you so much i was doing #1 and i was clueles
You really know your stuff. Thanks!
Thanks for watching! Let me know if you have any questions!