Clarinet Lesson - Faster Fingers - part 1

[@yidel229]

I have watched a lot of clarinet videos on KZbin nobody is as clear and as great as you

[@ClarinetMentors]

Thanks so much for the kind comment. I hope you are enjoying your clarinet.

[@mDyne]

Thank you Michelle. I'm an amateur musician and have lately been working on the wonderful Mozart Clarinet Concerto. In the second section, the adagio, about halfway through there is a rising chromatic scale. The fourth to the fifth note is going from Bb to B and has always given me trouble. This exercise is just what I need.

[@JoshuaDixonHolideckVRShowcase]

Thank you for teach me that transition from C to A, I am a beginner self taugh. I used to play the flute, but the clarinet is my favorite. Thank your lessons.

[@ClarinetMentors]

Thanks for the kind words Howard. One thing that saxophone players often do well is breathe properly - you just forget how fast the airstream needs to be for clarinet. They are both fun to play. I used to play a lot of saxophone, and finally passed them on to more deserving players when the dust got too thick...

[@yidel229]

thanks so much Michelle for all your free videos on clarinet anything I want to know about the clarinet I can find a video that you talk about it

[@Yuppie.Mike.]

You do not have to have the clarinet in your mouth to practice the chromatics scale. When you're watching TV hold the clarinet and practice it slowly and relaxed over and over and over and over again. Remember relaxed buttery fingers the harder you try to make it go fast without relaxing the more difficult it will be focus on relax battery fingers until your subconscious has memorized the finger patterns. When you want to go fast relax

[@sybil-roxanneclemons1333]

Right on!!

[@brianlittleton4714]

My fingers get lost sometimes when I'm practicing to get faster, this really helps, thanks again. Brian who at 75 is determined to do it

[@ClarinetMentors]

I can't put a link in the comments box here, but I have a couple of videos on faster fingers which you can find at the ClarinetMentors channel. I highly recommend practising in different rhythm patterns as a way of building up speed. Having your fingers in a relaxed, arched position, with very little movement, makes it much easier as well. Any video here on hand position or speed will be helpful for sure. Good luck with the audition.

[@josephaustinfaircloth3436]

Its funny that you bring this up. I struggle with smacking the keys. I will work on this.

[@elianherrera5322]

Me before the video: "Hm this shouldnt be too hard, I've been playing the saxophone for five years" Me, after the video: "Oh... Oh mylanta."

[@lyndafoster9437]

Great lesson !!

[@leonthumai5954]

Excellent tips

[@tonybowers123]

Thanks very much! It helped a lot!

[@jgist2011]

Great lesson! Thanks

[@ClarinetMentors]

I am glad these lessons are helpful to you. Thanks for the comment.

[@Yuppie.Mike.]

If your child plays clarinet and wants to be successful you need to search out the best teacher for them. If they don't have a teacher other than their band director at school. Unless the band director study clarinet they are not going to learn much about their instruments. They will learn to read music and they will learn to listen to the other musicians around them but they will not learn about the clarinet without a teacher. The best teachers are usually the professors at the universities in your area. If your student is, that don't let them struggle to try to figure out how to be good on their own. You can become good on your own but you will not know what you're doing. The more people you take lessons from the more you know because not every teacher knows everything. You should always study with the best teachers the best players. Long tones and the chromatic scale using light buttery fingers is the first key for young players should develop good sound and confidence

[@sybil-roxanneclemons1333]

You are correct. Bravo!

[@lindasnails]

In a piece I am playing for school I need to transition from a high A to a high c and I feel like it is impossible I've tried all of the things in the video and I still can't do it! Any help?

[@victorraphals-kath2097]

play very slowly, play it over and over abd concentrate => the key to any problem you could ever have

[@TonyShreds06]

I am playing procession of the Sardar 1st part for graduation and I have a hard time when I need to use my bottom hand for the notes I can get the first part done but not the second part

[@ScotAnderson]

I have not seen a barrel like yours before. Can you please explain, or, if you already have, can you please show a link?

[@ClarinetMentors]

Scot Anderson I use Backun Musical bells and barrels. They make them in a couple of different types of wood, and a couple of different shapes. I find that they make my tone richer, more consistent throughout the registers, and that I have more flexibility with tone colors using this equipment. You can find them at: @. Perhaps you have a music dealer near you that carries this equipment. It is always nice to try something out and just find out how it works with your own clarinet. All of my students who have tried these barrels have ended up buying one and really appreciating it. We do have the advantage however, of living in the same city as the factory! I do know that they are widespread in many places, because they are extremely popular with many professional clarinetists worldwide.

[@edwinabetances715]

thx boo btw im on band and uhh i was on clarinet too at school and il try to work hard on it

[@27blaketx]

Someone PLEASE help me out here. I have yo play a 9-tuplet run for an audition and I need some advice on getting to that point. It is across the break and is only 1 beat (like a pickup note). I am sure there is a name for this, but don't know what it is to even begin to find help. I know how to subdivide it. I know how to play the notes easily. It is just part of a major scale; an easy one at that. I just don't know how to play it in a single beat. Seems impossible. I just need reassurance that playing it by slowly getting faster and faster will work, or if there is some kind of technique I should know. PLEASE HELP!

[@ianblack7934]

Look forward to seeing a reply to double good, I'm 50 & have had my clarinet a couple of weeks now & soon get a mouth full of spit when using my tongue more. Not so bad if I just blow but I want to learn proper breathing technique. So far I've learned the notes (not all !) & a few nursery rhymes, I also found this - How to Play Clarinet - Clarinet Lessons for Beginners: kzbin.info/aero/PLuF_UlmBJISjRdT7D9DdsseYuCjGcuDdX. - very useful, I only use from 14 now. I am also loving Michelles video training & smiley face. The A key tip is great, no more moving my whole hand just to play an A :-)

[@brianlittleton4714]

Yeah it's a big jump for me to the "A" key. Brian

[@Yuppie.Mike.]

You want to keep your fingers close to the holes but not to where it changes the pitch of the note you are trying to play if your fingers are too close you will play i know you're trying to play it will be flat. Finger should be half an inch to 3/4 inch above the tone holes and your pinkies should be slightly touching the side keys

[@imakesammich6990]

i have All State Auditions in 11 days. Is there a video for very fast playing or finger transitions?

[@psychoblink9046]

IMake Sammich I have misstate auditions tomorrow morning...

[@markdbenson75]

Hi Michelle, just a quick question. When going from, for example, a low c to the a, as you do at around 10:15 on the video, I have an issue. Having lifted off low c and removed my thumb from the rear tone hole, I lose support for the top of the clarinet, meaning that when I rock my left index finger onto the a key, it causes the top of the clarinet and reed to push too hard onto my bottom lip and thus strangles the sound (the note is either muted or doesn't sound at all). Is this something you have seen before? Thanks, Mark.

[@ClarinetMentors]

Hi Mark, Without seeing you in action, I am guessing a bit. However, two things come to mind. You may be moving your fingers just too much, so that you are exerting too much pressure upwards. Try playing a low C and then adding the A key to this note (as mentioned at 7' 40" in this video) to notice how little your fingers need to move (look in a mirror). Then, when you switch to actually lifting your fingers up, try and move them as little as possible. Do your best to keep your air absolutely steady and solid. I hope that helps.

[@victorraphals-kath2097]

I had the same problem for a while. The key is to transfer the weight that your left hand usually supports to your right hand and really push up on to your top teeth (adding pad on the mouthpiece can also make this technique a bit easier, since the clarinet will have a tendency to slide backwards on your teeth and towards your thoat at first).

[@PhilipLupercal]

Hi Michelle, I'm wondering what clarinet set up you use, reed strength, tip opening etc. Is that a Backun Moba barrel? The clarinet doesn't look like a Moba though, what brand/ model do you use? Thanks

[@ClarinetMentors]

Hi Winston, I do use Backun barrels and bells both. I do recommend them. This Bb clarinet is a Buffet R13. I may upgrade to a Backun clarinet as they have a beautiful tone quality, but my Buffet has served me very well.

[@PhilipLupercal]

Thanks, I bought a Backun Moba barrel in Cocobolo just the other day. Couldn't be happier with the sound :)

[@ClarinetMentors]

Glad you like it! I think they really do improve tone quality. Enjoy it!

[@yidel229]

I have a question for u is there a place I can chat privet ?

[@ClarinetMentors]

You can send an email through the Clarinet Mentors website: www.clarinetmentors.com

[@jansanchez879]

2:57 thank me later

[@doubleghod]

I’m 62 and started with the Clarinet on my own 2 yrs ago. Here’s a question for anyone: The way I learned was that for each note I blow I must force air into the mouthpiece with a blast from my mouth simulating the letter “T”. OK, great, but everytime I view a practiced Clarinetist on KZbin who produces a professional sounding passage and hitting the buttons like he’s on Ritalin I don’t see him spitting into the mouthpiece like I do in a lumbering and non-fluent manner, so, I put it to you aficionados, is that “T” bidniz just for neophytes like me or what?

[@victorraphals-kath2097]

trying mouthing "tee" instead of just the consonant T

[@gustavootakuu7441]

EU SÓ QUERIA SER FLUENTE EM INGLÊS PRA ENTENDER ESSE VÍDEO 😭😭

[@laurennucum8019]

As a flute player learning clarinet, I actually keep my fingers too close to the uncovered holes resulting in lowering my pitch! :P

[@ClarinetMentors]

That is an usual habit in the clarinet world! I recommend you find the lowest possible position (that doesn't muffle the tone, or lower the pitch) and then train your fingers into that position. You will probably find that most of your flute technic transfers over nicely to clarinet.

[@dooniboys8288]

Can i chat with u

[@Yuppie.Mike.]

Your fingers do not require strength they need to be relaxed. All new clarinet players should learn their chromatic scale with the chromatic fingerings basically right hand down at the break. You can develop speed accurately by starting your metronome at a temple of 60 seconds per minute. Start with eight notes on e go up to high e. Switch to triple it start on low f to high f. Switch to 16th notes on f sharp and play to f sharp. Then switch to fists from g to g. Do that exercise everyday for 5 minutes with relaxed buttery fingers do this in front of a mirror so you can watch your fingers. Soon you will have your chromatic scale memorize and you can focus on the position and a distance of your fingers. Everyday after you've mastered the chromatic scale at 60 beats per minute. Start increasing your tempo 4 seconds faster a day. Remember relaxed buttery fingers keep your fingers over the keys your pinky on your right hand and left hand should be touching the keys

[@Yuppie.Mike.]

Hi thanks for the video i don't agree with your hand position for the left hand. Eddie daniels told me the secret to playing fast is using soft light buttery fingers.

[@AutomaticArrangments]

people who play the clarinet!!!!!!

[@edwinabetances715]

:)

[@iGoSmexy]

Who cares