Clarinet Disrupters! Stop Making The Same Mistakes

[@hollythomasson3601]

This is wonderful! Not only are you a great clarinetist, but amazing psychologist, too! At 48 years old and many teachers since 5th grade, I have learned SO much from you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and skills with us : )

[@lucyyockey]

As crazy and unbelievable as it is, I have my band camp audition this Sunday and one of the excerpts is actually from Etude no. 2! Thank you for your perfect timing and great advice

[@ClarinetMentors]

I hope the audition goes well. I loved my summer band camps.

[@meganblatchford7674]

Such valuable suggestions. Love your videos.Thank you.

[@stormiethedark6355]

Something my clarinet professor talked with me this last spring semester was the importance of understanding what the music is telling you to do. On etude no. 2 of the 32 Rose etudes, at the beginning of the piece it says "avec charme et a l'aise" which according to the glossary in the back of the book means "with charm and ease, unhurried". If you go at this piece fast and aggressively, you're already playing it wrong. Another thing my professor said is that rushing is the disease of youth. Lots of young musicians like to play everything fast and aggressive, even if that's not what the music calls for. They do it as a habit when they see difficult music. I'm guilty of this. Like you said in the video, sometimes you have to slow down your playing, there's no shame in playing slow. As for getting stuck on difficult music or hitting a practice plateau, where you sort of stop progressing in your playing despite still practicing, the most helpful thing I've found is simply asking for help. Your teacher is there to help you, and they know that if you're stuck you need to change the way you're practicing. A more experienced player than yourself knows many ways to practice, and they can share these with you. Hope this helps anyone who reads this.

[@ClarinetMentors]

Thanks for all of the thoughtful comments here. It sounds like you have a great insight to many aspects of playing, and you also have some good guidance from your teacher. I hope you continue to enjoy your clarinet studies.

[@gracegorman642]

THIS ONE!! This video us for me. Thank you so much Michelle. 💜

[@ClarinetMentors]

Hi Grace. I'm glad you like this one. in my opinion, this is some of the most important stuff that I teach. I do realize that it may not appeal to everyone out there in KZbin land since it is a bit more abstract and philosophical. I'm glad it works for you.

[@shunasho]

thanks you for all your advices , clarinet become easy with you. :) ♥

[@ClarinetMentors]

Thanks for the kind words.

[@michaeltaylor314]

Thanks very much Michelle for a most interesting session. I have a few tricky pieces I need to work on! Regards Mike

[@ElPalomodelaSierra]

Thanks very much! I just started to study four days ago and this the type of information I need!

[@ClarinetMentors]

I'm glad that you enjoyed this. Good luck with your clarinet playing.

[@pae913]

The thing with Rose Etudes no. 2 is extremely relevant to me, because I'm playing for a new clarinet teacher tomorrow and I'll be playing that one

[@ClarinetMentors]

That's a nice coincidence. I hope your lesson goes well.

[@jawadalam4409]

thank you for continuously posting vids. one of my favorite channels, that is michael from earspasm music, is taking a break during this summer and i am really grateful you havent stopped! I am going into my sophomore year in highschool and as of right now, it is summer break. I took an approximately 3 week break from playing and I will be starting back very soon. First of all, I am going to audition for two things; ILMEA (Illinois Music Education Association) as well as my own school's wind ensemble (highest band) and I want to know how to practice efficiently as well as what to practice. I am practicing without any private teacher so I need to be aware of what I am doing wrong and that is the most important thing I think. For the audition music (etudes 5 and 14), I am practicing at a slow tempo and working my way up to the actual tempo. After that, I will improve musicality in the pieces. I would really appreciate as much help and I will try to look for specific videos you have that will help me. If there are some you particularly recommend I look at then I would appreciate you suggesting them as well :) Also, after taking a long break, what should I do to familiarize myself again and get back on track? Thank you!

[@jawadalam4409]

that is what you can also recommend me doing that is outside of this video. Sorry for the confusion!

[@ClarinetMentors]

When you are first getting back in shape, really focus on getting your airspeed back. That tends to lapse when we take time off. These videos may help: Embouchure Tester kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2O3hnqvidifi68 kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5OXkHuFrNh4nqc - activating blowing muscles kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbKeaykgcSfh9E Good Tone part three

[@MichaelFineMusic]

Thanks so much for this, Michelle. I'm self taught - which comes with so many problems - but your videos have helped give me what I should have learned half a century ago. Learning how to practice has been one of your greatest gifts to me (and all of your other fans!) But this video is full of great ideas - some of them I knew as ideas - but was not sure how to actually do in a mindful way. Working on the difficult Harbison Wind Quintet for a concert in a month and can't wait to practice later today with your video in mind

[@ClarinetMentors]

I love the Harrison! Have fun with that. Lots of opportunities to practise mindfully in that one!

[@ClarinetMentors]

Apparently auto-correct doesn't like "Harbison".

[@MichaelFineMusic]

I have a hard time starting the flutter tongue - which I do as though I were a cat purring through the mouthpiece - immediately! It stops the airstream but also hard to keep the embouchure firm while doing it!

[@rogerfletcher7998]

Michelle. Thanks so much for your marvellous videos. What is the exact name of the one dealing with Lizard Brain and exercises. I'm having trouble finding it. Thanks, Roger

[@ClarinetMentors]

Hi Roger - This one may help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH-Zo2Suo7mXnbs

[@DavidThomasPilot]

Thanks for the tips! I'll try those out. Just in case you're not aware of it, some of the tones you're playing sound breathier than others; not sure if it's just what your microphone is picking up? I noticed it especially with your B above middle C. Thanks!

[@ClarinetMentors]

Hi David. Thanks for the comments. I had a serious audio malfunction when filming this video, but since most of it was me just speaking, I made it work. I loved the content, and didn't trust that I could reshoot it. I think some of this is a bit audible on the clarinet bits. Hopefully the pointers make sense anyway.

[@DavidThomasPilot]

Clarinet Mentors (Michelle Anderson) It is a difficult instrument to mic up. Do you have any tips on micing up clarinet, out of interest?

[@ClarinetMentors]

Generally, a clarinet will sound best in a reasonably resonate room with the mic a few feet away from the clarinet. When I am in soundtrack situations, they will put a mic right in front of the centre of the instrument, but I think that is only to be able to isolate the clarinet sound from the other instruments. I think having a mic further back reduces any key clicks and also picks up the tone as it resonates through the room. When I record my KZbin videos, I have one mic on my voice and a separate one on my clarinet (which sits about 3 - 4 ft away).

[@Fangornmmc]

Hi Michelle, thank you very much for all your videos. I've wanted to play the clarinet since I was a child and finally have gotten the opportunity to do so. The biggest problem I face currently is that I get a very airy, fuzzy and hissing like sound. I saw some of your other videos where you mentioned this had likely to do with an improper air stream, yet I feel like I am blowing properly. If I try without the clarinet and blow on my hand, it feels like a fairly concentrated stream of air. I also notice I am unable to sustain a note for very long because I am "losing" so much air somewhere along the way. Would you have any pointers on how to fix this? Any exercises or checks I can do to ensure I am blowing correctly? Many thanks in advance!

[@ClarinetMentors]

Usually, that fuzzy sound means that the air is not moving quickly enough to get the reed vibrating. It can also mean that their is a chip in the mouthpiece, or a leak somewhere else in the clarinet. If you feel confident that you are blowing with fast air, it may be that your reeds are too strong for your set up. It might be worth trying a lower number to see if this solves your problem. You may also want to have someone else test your equipment to make sure that it is working well. I hope this helps! These videos may help: What strength of reed should you use: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHS9gZWcraZgqcU kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5OXkHuFrNh4nqc - activating blowing muscles

[@mareenaoneil9868]

These tips make me really want you to be my teacher in real life! :)

[@ClarinetMentors]

Thanks Mareena! Please join my clarinet community, and from time to time I have live online sessions where everyone can ask questions. It would be fun to meet you via computer.

[@brianlittleton4714]

C# for me remains a slow move, still. Little finger just doesn't want to hit it right, more on the fingernail

[@steveszejna989]

I believe I saw this concept used by Julia Fischer on a KZbin video when she was holding a master class for violinists. She had one student play a piece while lying back over 3 or 4 chairs. Her body was totally horizontal. This certainly sounds like a brain disrupter!