Clarinet. Name:... Tutor:...

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1 Clarinet Name:... Tutor:...

2 Congratulations on choosing to play a clarinet and welcome to the wonderful world of music making. This pack is designed to help you start playing your instrument through Gwent Music Support Service. With the help of your teacher you will quickly learn how to hold and look after your instrument, produce musical sounds, recognize notation and the following pages will remind you how to do it when you practice at home. With enthusiasm and dedication you are starting out on an exciting journey of enjoyment and self fulfilment which will stay with you for the rest of your life. 2

3 The Clarinet It was invented in around 1700 by a german instrument maker called Johann Christoph Denner. He first developed an instrument called the Chalumeau from the recorder by adding a reed to the mouthpiece but this instrument could only play low notes (we still call these low notes the chalumeau register on the clarinet). He then added a register key which meant that the instrument could also produce high notes and so, the clarinet was born! The Clarinet is a member of the woodwind family and is a single reed instrument - other members of the woodwind family are the Flute, the Oboe, the Bassoon and the Saxophone 3

4 Let s Go! Step 1: Moisten reed in your mouth while putting your clarinet together. If needed, rub a small amount of cork grease on all corks. (Don t apply too much it squirts out when you put the instrument together and makes everything greasy!) Step 2: Hold the upper section in your left hand. Press your fingers over the tone holes. Take the lower section with your right hand, and again press your fingers over the tone holes. Gently twist the two sections together so that the tone holes are lined up and the upper section s bridge key is directly over the lower section s bridge key. Step 3: Twist the bell onto the cork of the lower section, and twist the wider end of the barrel onto the cork of the upper section. Step 4: Twist the mouthpiece into the barrel. Line up the flat side of the mouthpiece with the register key and thumb rest on the back of the clarinet. Step 5: Place the reed on the mouthpiece as described on page 6. 4

5 Posture and Breathing Posture is the way you hold your body when you stand or sit. Good posture makes playing easy and enjoyable and it helps you to breathe properly! Posture Plan: Sit or stand tall with your spine straight. (Imagine there is a string attached to your head with a helium balloon pulling to the ceiling!) Keep your shoulders back and relaxed. If you are standing keep your feet hip-width apart. If you are sitting keep your back away from the back of the chair and put your feet flat on the floor. Breathing is something we do naturally all of the time. When you play a wind instrument you will learn to control your breath or airstream in a certain way. Follow these instructions to help you: Breath Basics: Place the palm of your hand in front of your mouth. Breathe in deeply keeping your shoulders relaxed. Your waist should expand like a balloon. Slowly whisper too as you gradually push the air out towards your palm. The air you feel is the airstream. It produces sound through the instrument. Your tongue is like a valve that releases the airstream. 5

6 Reeds and Sound production. Before you can start to play your clarinet you will need to make sure that you have some reeds. When you blow through the mouthpiece the reed vibrates really quickly and this is what produces the sound, so as you can see, reeds are very important! Your teacher will recommend what reeds to buy but as a general guide Vandoren reeds size 1 ½ or size 2 are a good choice. Reed rules: Always make sure that you have a few spare reeds in your case because they can break easily. Always give your parent or guardian plenty of warning when you are running out of reeds. (Don t wait until they are all broken!) Always moisten the thin end of your reed in your mouth before playing. Always remove your reed from the mouthpiece after playing, wipe it dry and return it to the reed case. Sound production There are three things that make up your sound production on clarinet; your breath, your reed and your embouchure (pronounced om-buh-shure). Follow these instructions and you will be ready to go! Preparing the mouthpiece: Remove the ligature (this is the metal or rubber band which holds the reed in place) from the mouthpiece. You may need to loosen the screws first. Place the flat side of the reed against the flat side of the mouthpiece and line it up so that only a hairline of the top of the mouthpiece can be seen above the reed. 6

7 Carefully lower the ligature over the mouthpiece and reed until the top of the ligature is below the cut part of the reed (ask your teacher to show you the reed s smile!). Gently tighten the screws. Embouchure: Your embouchure is your mouth s position on the mouthpiece. It is formed by using some of your facial muscles. Pull your bottom lip over your bottom teeth. Put the mouthpiece into your mouth with the reed resting on your lower lip. Place your top teeth on the top of the mouthpiece and seal your mouth around the mouthpiece. Mouthpiece exercise: Now try the following exercise: Take a deep breath, keeping your shoulders relaxed. With your embouchure sealed around the mouthpiece whisper too and gradually exhale your airstream. Rest and then repeat 1 & 2. Well done! You are now ready to assemble your whole clarinet and start playing! 7

8 FIRST THREE NOTES The note E Using your left hand cover the tone hole on the back of the clarinet with your thumb and put your first finger over the top tone hole on the front. The note D The note C 8

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11 Clarinet Care Before you put your clarinet back in its case make sure you do the following: Remove the reed, wipe it dry and return it to the reed case. Remove the mouthpiece and wipe the inside with a clean cloth. (Don t use tissues because they get too soggy and bits can get stuck in the instrument). Once a week, wash the mouthpiece out with warm tap water and dry thoroughly. Hold the upper section with your left hand and the lower section with your right hand. Gently twist the sections apart. Drop the weighted end of your cleaner into each section of your clarinet and pull through. Carefully twist the bell and barrel from each section and dry out with the cloth. Put the sections carefully back in your case making sure you close the case properly before you carry it! Your case is designed to hold only specific objects. If you try to force anything else into the case, it may damage your instrument! 11

12 ALWAYS REMEMBER TO.. *Tongue each note carefully; whisper Tu or Du when you blow *Hold the Instrument correctly *Stand (or sit) as straight as you can *Take big breaths, trying not to breathe after EVERY note *Keep your top teeth on the Mouthpiece *Keep your lips (Embouchure) gripped firmly around the mouthpiece or reed, so no air escapes through the sides of your lips *Try not to puff your cheeks out!! 12

13 In these pages, we have hopefully covered the basics in getting you started on your exciting musical journey. Your teacher can help and guide you through your early stages right through to learning to read music, learning scales and pieces and ultimately progressing to taking music exams both written and practical. There are also other aids to helping you on your way in the form of Music Centres which we have set up in each authority (see page 19 for venues and times). These music Centres give students the opportunity of coming together alongside other like-minded students to explore other aspects of music-making such as ensemble playing and orchestral playing. Groups are tailored to the ability of the students starting with Junior groups, progressing to Intermediate and Senior groups. Classes are also set up in many centres which teach Music Theory in preparation for written examinations. Your teacher can tell you more about these Music Centres. As well as learning a new aspect of music at the centres, students also have an opportunity to perform at various concerts throughout the year and join in many of the organised social activities. Once you have learnt the basics and are progressing well, Gwent Music Support Service also has an orchestral structure in place where students are nominated by their teacher or Head of the Music Centre to attend courses outside school hours. 13

14 These orchestral groups bring together students from all four authorities and all music disciplines (strings, brass, woodwind and percussion). The first rung on the ladder is the Combined Music Centre or Junior Orchestra Course, held in July for several days, culminating in an informal concert for family and friends to come along to see and hear just what the students have managed to achieve in such a short time. There is no charge for this course. Upon reaching a suitable standard, students are then invited to participate in the Greater Gwent Intermediate Orchestra Course, normally held in February half term and is a residential course at the Urdd Camp in Llangrannog. As well as developing their musical abilities, this course also offers a social aspect in the form of various activities available to students such as ski -ing, swimming and horse-riding etc. There is a charge involved which covers accommodation, meals and transport but these costs are kept to an absolute minimum. Again this course finishes with a concert (a little more formal this time) for family and friends. Finally, students can go on to become a member of the Greater Gwent Youth Orchestra and their residential course is held at the end of the Spring Term (April time) also at Llangrannog finishing with a spectacular concert showcasing their talents. The same charges apply. This structure of Music Centres and orchestral groups can ultimately lead to participation at a National level for many of our students or to a rewarding and fulfilling career in music at many levels. 14

15 Over the next few pages, you will find an example of a Practice Diary for you to keep and some manuscript paper for you and your teacher to use in your lessons. Read the Hints and Tips below to get you started and you are ready to embark on the whole musical experience of learning to play a woodwind instrument. Enjoy!! Find a quiet room to practice in, with no distractions. Try to set aside a regular time for your practice. Start your practice as soon as possible after your lesson, to help you remember what you have learnt that day. Always maintain good posture when you are practising. Try to keep an accurate record of what you do and when you do it. Diaries help to keep a record of your progress and highlight problem areas to remind you to ask for help from your teacher. Begin your practice session by warming up with long notes. If you don t understand ask your teacher to explain it to you again. If you get stuck - stop - come back again later and try again. Try to do as much sight reading as possible the more you do, the easier it becomes! Remember, what you can't play slowly you can't play fast! Don t practice when you are tired. Practice the whole performance experience - play your pieces to friends and family so you experience a few nerves and learn how to cope with them. Listen to as many recordings of music as possible and enjoy the whole music experience. 15

16 NAME: Tasks & Targets for this Term Problems to work on DAY TIME PARENT SIG. MON PRACTICE CONTENT TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT SUN Review & Recommendations Notes 16

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19 Once you have started with us, you might like to come along to one of our Music Centres which are held on Friday evenings or Saturday mornings during term time only. Organised by Gwent Music Support Service and held weekly (unless specified), the Music Centres offer a wide range of activities which cater for all ages and standards. Blaenau Gwent 10.00am to 12.00pm (Saturday) Newport Caerleon 9.30am to 3.00pm (Saturday) Monthly Newport Bassaleg 4.45pm to 6.45pm (Friday) North Monmouthshire 4.45pm to 6.45pm (Friday) South Monmouthshire 4.45pm to 6.45pm (Friday) Torfaen 4.30pm to 6.30pm (Friday) Theory & Gospel Choir only 10.00am to 12.00pm (Saturday) All other groups The range of activities at the above Music Centres will include beginner level to grade 8 and beyond. For more details and enquiries, please contact the Gwent Music Support Service Headquarters on or visit our web site: 19

20 Listed below are some music shops with instruments for sale, hire and/or suppliers for tuition books and accessories (in alphabetical order). Local Retailers NAME TEL NO WEB SITE Cranes Musical Instruments (Cardiff) Ev-Entz Musical Supplies (Newport) Gamlin s Music Centre (Cardiff) G.M. Music (Newport) Monmouth Music Box (Usk) Soundwave (Cwmbran) National Retailers NAME TEL NO WEB SITE Mostyn Music (Lee on Solent) Normans Musical Instruments (Burton) John Packer (Taunton) Further shops may be found in the Yellow Pages, and we advise you to seek prices from a variety of sources. Gwent Music Support Service Malpas Court Primary School Grounds Whittle Drive, Newport. NP20 6 NS Tel: Fax: gwent.music@newport.gov.uk The Gwent Music Support Service is a Council Service providing music tuition and activities for children and young people on behalf of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, Monmouthshire County Council, Newport City Council and Torfaen County Borough Council. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON GWENT MUSIC SUPPORT SERVICE AND OUR RANGE OF SERVICES, ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEB SITE: 20