I just joined and posted on the adult learners forum that I have bought a piano and started lessons. I would also like in due course to learn an instuments and was thinking about clarinet or flute. A friend has offered to lend me her clarinet whilst she is abroad, so that has helped that decision! I do intend to find a clarinet teacher in the autumn when hopefully I have progressed a bit. I usually need a new challenge when the dark nights roll in and also being a working parent, I suspect I might have to wait a while for a suitable slot with a good clarinet teacher. (Sneaking off for the piano lesson during the working day but there is a limit to that sort of behaviour!)

In the mean time can anyone recommend a good clarinet book that might get me started? I did play the piano a bit in the past, and got a GCE in music, so I know a bit of theory anyway and can read music, so think it is worth having a go with the clarinet.

Any advice gratefully received.

There are lots of books out there, with cd's etc. Seeing you have a certain knowledge in music already go out there and take a look at what's on the market, and buy one that you like the look of, of course it's always tricky to find one that's not wholy designed for children but they do exist !! have you thought of reed strength etc ? You should
Good luck the clarinet is a fabulous instrument !!

Well done for having a go at a second instrument. It would be a very good idea to have a few lessons now though, rather than teaching yourself and then finding that you have bad habits or incorrect technique to un-learn. A good teacher will show you how to look after the instrument and sort out suitable reeds for you, recommend suitable books etc. It would be money well spent now. Then you could continue teaching yourself new pieces until the lessons restart.

I started on clarinet as a second instrument last April. I was using a borrowed instrument at first too.
It wasn't totally new as I played for 3 years at school but as that was more than 35 years ago I'd forgotten everything except which way up to hold it.
I've not had lessons (will be having a lesson to see how I'm doing next month) but I've been playing in a local all comers orchestra since last May and have enjoyed the emsembles at forum concerts too.

Good for you, redrobin, go for it!

I would say try and have some lessons too - another forum member tried to take up the clarinet without lessons but didn't pursue it partly because he couldn't get a good sound out of it. A teacher would set you on the right track and would ensure that your fingering, breathing etc was correct from the start.

When I was given my clarinet, the Team Woodwind book came with it, and I liked it but I know it's not popular with everybody. I also liked The Usborne Book of Easy Clarinet Tunes - more of a children's book really, but I like colourful And I liked the tunes in it as well! But as others have said, different formats will appeal to different people so just have a browse round your local music shop.

I started on 1.5 Rico Royal reeds. Don't get clarinettists talking about reeds though, you'll be here all day!

Good luck, and hopefully see you at a forum event soon, even if it's just to meet us for a chat

Team Woodwind is my general choice for my pupils to get started on. It has plenty of good tunes in it, and some theoretical/technical advice - however, if you're basically going to be teaching yourself to start, it's perhaps not the ideal method to use. Have a look at Boosey's method, Clarinet Basics by Paul Harris and the Cambridge Clarinet Tutor, also by Paul Harris.

I would recommend having at least 1 or 2 lessons when you start, to make sure you are setting off on the right track - as it's far easier to learn everything the correct way first time rather than correcting any bad habits you've got into.

I have enjoyed playing the clarinet for 25 years now, hope you get as much pleasure from playing as I have.

Hello, Redrobin ! I don't think we've "met" as I haven't posted around here for a shamefully long time.

Congratulations on choosing the most beautiful-sounding, versatile instrument (in my completely unbiased opinion)!

I wouldn't particularly recommend the book I learned with back in the dawn of time unless you really can't find any of the others! It was A Tune A Day for Clarinet - it's very basic and dated, although it does tell you how to hold the clarinet, correct embouchure (mouth position), finger charts, etc. So, it does the job, but if you're after a new, eye-catching and fun learning method - best avoid it!

As others have already said, it's always good to see a teacher to correct those little errors of technique that can creep in and make dulcet tones turn to squeeking nightmare. Although I can't preach as I still haven't found a local teacher for myself! I agree with Skylark on the reeds - start with Rico 1.5 - and the warning was deadly serious, I'm sure , as clarinettists love to wax lyrical on their reed/mouthpiece/ligature set up!

All the best, I hope you get on with the clarinet.

You've not heard me play then......

Go for it If that is what you want to do.

otto langley. is great...
for once u hav started playing.
but its not so great at telling you how to start - start - i mean like getting your first notes out and stuff like your ombiture (if thats how you spell it) perhaps after a couple of lessons this would be a good book to get.
it includes scales, excercies, n small pieces to help...
i used from prep up to grade 8 so should last you a long time!

I dont know much about clarinets, but when I started flute I used the 'learn as you play' book which was really good, and I know they do a simular one for clarinet.