Materials

INSTRUMENT CARE

We are instrumentalists and we rely on our instruments to be in good working order so that we can reach our potential. As enjoyable as it is to play the clarinet, it should be seen as a fragile tool or machine rather than a toy. Here are some guidelines to ensure that your clarinet will continue to work for you and enable you to play.

Use cork grease liberally on new corks or when it becomes difficult to put the joints together. You should not have to use a huge amount of force when assembling or dissembling your instrument since this could bend the keys. Take care to wipe any remaining cork grease from your fingers before you play, so that it does not build up in the tone holes. This can affect intonation by making the holes smaller.

When assembling your clarinet, build it from bottom to top. First put the bell on the lower joint then put the upper joint on the lower joint. Take care to press down the keys of the upper joint that raise the bridge so that the two parts do not collide and bend. You can then add the barrel, mouthpiece, and ligature. The reed should always be put on last by loosening the ligature and sliding the reed in from the top, then tightening the ligature screws. This is to avoid contact between the ligature and the tip of the reed (the most fragile part). Before attaching the reed, you should moisten it slightly in your mouth or water.

It is ideal to brush your teeth before each time you play to keep the inside of your clarinet clean. You should never eat anything or chew gum while playing. Left over food particles and sugars can lead to sticking pads and hygiene problems. (Yuck!)

After playing, always remove your reed from your mouthpiece, wipe off any remaining moisture, and store it in a reliable reed case. Always swab the bore of your clarinet after each use. Swabbing the mouthpiece should be done minimally to avoid damaging or dulling the delicate edges. Instead, a mouthpiece should be washed with warm, mild soapy water whenever it seems to need it, hopefully no more than once a week. If and when you do swab your mouthpiece, do so independently of the clarinet and gently put the weight of the swab through without it coming in contact with the very tip of the mouthpiece where it is most fragile. Pull the rest through gently avoiding the tip.

Never leave your clarinet standing on its bell without a clarinet stand and never leave your clarinet balanced precariously anywhere like on a music stand. Do not use your clarinet as a baton or anything other than a clarinet. Accidents to instruments lead to bent keys or worse and will prevent you from playing easily or at all.

If you have a wooden instrument you should have some sort of humidifier in your case during dry winter months. I use a 35 mm film canister with holes punched in it and a wet piece of sponge inside. Make sure the sponge is always moist so it does not absorb moisture instead of replacing it. Never leave a wooden clarinet anywhere where it will be exposed to extreme temperatures and do not play the instrument outside in the direct sun or rain. If you participate in a marching band, I highly recommend using a plastic clarinet even if it means renting one for a few months a year. All of these precautions are to prevent the bore from cracking, which can either ruin an instrument or lead to costly repairs.

Once every year or two, depending on the quantity of playing you do, your clarinet should be serviced by a professional repair person to check that all the pads seal well against the tone holes, to make sure all keys are properly aligned, and to replace any pads and corks if needed.

EQUIPMENT

It is the nature of being an instrumentalist that you can not become a great clarinet player without working equipment. I recommend the following items, but these are definitely not the only quality choices. If you already have your equipment I will let you know if I think it will restrict your progress. If you choose to purchase something other than what I have listed here, I highly recommend consulting with me first. Options are generally listed in order of my preference. All equipment should specify B-flat clarinet unless you have been assigned otherwise.

General accessories

GEM Silk clarinet swab

Korg TM-40 Combination metronome/tuner

Tonal Energy Tuner

Bay Vibra-Ease Woodwind Mouthpiece Cushions, medium black

Cork grease

Lablanc Bb Clarinet Reed Guard

Instrument and accessory vendors

It is always a good idea to comparison shop to find the best service and prices on materials. Here are some resources to get you started:

Weiner Music, Woodwind Brasswind, Prowinds, Muncy Winds. Most of these items can also be found on Amazon.

BOOKS AND REPERTOIRE

Here are a few examples of the books and repertoire I assign. I am always happy to work on pieces, styles and techniques that the student choose.

I included Amazon links for the books below, but most of these books are available at equipment vendors above and many Sheet Music Stores.