Are we clarinets going to let the flutes and oboes take over the world, well the forum world anyway Course not! So here's our thread, to talk about clarinetty things


I've just been trying to practise my E minor scale which needs the right hand B key Whoever invented that key must have been double jointed Have long did it take everybody else to get into the hang of using it?

just one post --
flutes and oboes won't take over - Saxes Rule ! !

You wish!!

clarinetty things...

It took me a little while to get used to the right hand B key. I got there eventually.

It does take a while. I'm trying to get round using the right hand side/trill key for B and C in 'The little negro' by Debussy. Makes it so much easier!

It is a good thing to get used to right hand B (and other alternative fingerings). You'll also need that right hand B when you get to play two octave B major...

I try to encourage my pupils to use (or at least, be aware of) both right from the start, with the explanation that most of the time it's just personal preference which one they use, but there will be times when they *have* to use a particular key.

Keep it up, skylark, you'll get it eventually.

I have trouble reaching the Left hand b! I seem to use the opposite keys to everyone else I know, unless of course I have to use a particular one - its happening more and more often!

That's interesting. If anything, I tend to come across more people who aren't so struck on the right hand B. Do you have small-ish hands - and do you also find it a stretch to get to the left hand F#/C# key?

Can I join the thread...I'm not a *proper* clarinettist but I'm teaching myself. From the tutor books I picked up on the rh B key first and now I'm having trouble trying to alternate lh and rh fingerings! lol

[quote name='barry-clari' date='Jul 12 2007, 07:30 AM' post='550851']
[quote name='Rosemary7391' post='550846' date='Jul 12 2007, 08:21 AM']
I have trouble reaching the Left hand b! I seem to use the opposite keys to everyone else I know, unless of course I have to use a particular one - its happening more and more often!
[/quote]

The majority of my pupils seem to prefer left hand F/C and right hand E/F... especially the ones with small hands..... I prefer the other way round......


Talking about the size of hands.... I saw a new pupil yesterday... she's really quite small.... my smallest yet.... but she has big hands! I was thinking of starting her on the kinder clarinet but her hands are as big as some of my older pupils who manage the Bb well.... Now there is a spare kinder clarinet in school but not a spare Bb.... so a kinder would mean a quicker start.... BUT.... what about the weight of a Bb .... would that be too much for the girl? She will be 8 in September. Any ideas?
I prefer Bb... having only started one other pupil on the kinder...She couldn't play in the school orchestra until she transferred onto Bb (after 5 months) as although the school had easy Bb parts it had no Eb parts (it's an Eb kinder) for orchestra. I don't like the kinder as I have to transpose to play along with the pupil!!!!
I tried her on the kinder for size yesterday.. and her hands seemed too big for that. I haven't seen if her arms are long enough for the Bb yet... and will check next week.

Me too.

What foxes me is my bass clarinet - it has a low Eb, so an extra RH key. Worth it for the deep rumbling sound though (not that anyone actually hears it, they just feel it!).


I briefly taught someone of the same age. There was a wooden clarinet in the family which she found a bit heavy, but didn't have any problems with a plastic instrument.

I was 8, nearly 9, when I started, and quite small for my age, but I don't remember having any problems with instrument weight or stretches.

I always use the right hand b key, and i've never had a problem with it

I was 9 when I started clarinet and I never even saw a kinder =D
I was quite a scrawny kid as well but I never had any problems.
a student (i.e plastic) Bb should be ok.

Me neither, I don't really have any problems with any fingerings. Other than my made up ones for top G LOL.

Thats how I did it, even though I had a teacher!



I don't have a problem as such, its just on my clarinet I think the LH b is a little stiffer than the RH. Of course I have to use it if I have, say, D# then B.

My teacher has just suggested that I start a clarinet choir in school, in september. The only problem as I see it would be getting hold of Eb sop/alto and Bb bass clarinets at a reasonable price!

Do you have quite small hands and not a very long little finger I think my finger's just too long to bend it into position

I have more trouble with the Left hand F.
My hand moves so I'm not covering holes properly and I get no sound out....

Nope, I have quite large hands, with really long fingers!

I'll measure mine if you'll measure yours

When I started, I had to use the right hand B and E key because my fingers were too small to reach the left hand one!!! So it wasnt hard to get used to really....

Oh, and a clarinetty question. My clarinet hasnt been serviced for about 1 1/2 years, and the service man told me that 6 pads needed replacing. He says it will cost £90!!!!!!!!

Is it just me, or is that pretty expensive? Im just wondering what everybody thinks about this.....

hehehe SAXES DO RULE!

Sounds like what I pay for my yearly service. I'm trying to learn how to do it myself, though it'll be a while before I dare try it on my clarinet!

My guess is that if it's a service, more will be done to your clarinet than having just those six pads replaced.



It's worth learning some of the basics of clarinet repair Rosemary. Some tasks, like re-corking the joints, aren't that difficult to do.

Yes, and it'll mean my friends have no excuse for not getting it done once I can do it!! Do you know of any decent websites/books Barri? I'd rather not have a go at a clarinet without at least half an idea that what I'm doing is helpful

I highly recommend the Dr. Downing 'Clarinettist's First Aid Doctor', as a really good starting point. If you have an old clarinet you can try basic repairs out on to start with, that'll build up your confidence in basic 'clarinet first aid' before you have to repair your regular clarinet.

However, if you're not sure about anything mechanical on your clarinet, seek advice from a professional repairer before trying to mend it yourself. You don't want to make the damage worse, and some aspects of repair are best left to experts with the necessary machinery.

Thanks I was mainly thinking about things like corks/pads, simple things! I'm looking out on ebay for a cheap knocked about clarinet or other woodwind to have a go on. I certainly won't be mending my regular clarinet for a looong while!

Sounds like a good plan Rosemary. Many of the corks are straightforward to repair/replace.

Yes *Remembers concert where friends clarinet fell apart because it needed recorking*

Yeah, I'd like to have a go at simple repairs, like re-corking etc. I've done a few keywork repairs on my sister's flute, which actually worked too, but I havent done anything more than that yet!

The cork joints are reasonably easy to replace. It's a good thing to be able to do this yourself. There is a section in the First Aid Doctor I talked about earlier that tells you how to do this.

Its on my list of 'stuff to get'

But I can't seem to find it anywhere

Just picked up a copy of that book in the £1 music sale at my local music shop (along with far too much sheet music - very dangerous place to go! ). My clarinet has had a wobbly middle joint for a while now so replacing the cork is something I want to be able to do (clarinet is an old, beaten up plastic Yamaha with quite a few scratches, so if all goes disastrously wrong I won't have destroyed a valuable instrument!). Have also ordered a repair kit and am quite looking forward to attempting to make it work better...now I just need to learn to play the thing properly!

All the best with your clarinetting - give me a shout if you want any advice on re-corking/re-padding.

I've recorked my joints and it's fiddly but not too difficult. I quite enjoy doing it I've got some very detailed instructions to remind me what to do which I can send if you like phantasmagoriana or any other clarinettist.

I'd like a copy if that is ok skylark.

My daughter was a small 7 year old when she started clarinet but didn't find the Bb model any problem. The shop did suggest one that had slightly less distance between keys - it is a VITO. She is now a small 11 year old and having taken her Grade 5 clarinet just picked up the saxaphone which really does look big on her!

Yes no problem, just give me a day or two cos the instructions are on my other computer so I'll have to dig them out

Hello there! A part of me just wanted to ressurrect the thread, but the other part has a question!

I was wondering what everyone's favourite pieces are to play, and what suggestions they could give to me for nice but easyish things to work on? I've been working on the second movement of Mozart's clarinet concerto, well just the first page so far, and have made some great progress (having something I REALLY want to be able to play helps me learn those new notes), though it's still quite hard, obviously! What pieces really excite you all?

The Victorian Kitchen Garden Suite by Paul Reade is quite popular - think it has movements at G5,6,7 sort of standard (though the clarinets can correct me!) - very attractive music

The Finzi 5 Bagatelles are nice too. They cover quite a good range aswell from grade 3-8.

Theres the Lefevre Sonatas as well - 1-5 cover grade 4- 6/7

Lefevre is ok, and some movements are good, but on the whole, I've never really found them that inspiring to be honest.

I like Lefevre. Has anyone tried Singing and Swinging? San Remo is set for grade 6 and is fab! Tartinit and Stanford are my other all time favourites at that kind of level, and the Lorito.

Saw this thread! hehehe I'm new to learning the Clarinet

Ooh some very good recommendations! I'll go searching for them My local Oxfam has an excellent sheet music section in which some truly wonderful things sometimes show up. And nice to meet you, Jenn!

The Mozart is wonderful . And I really, really like the 2nd movement.



They do indeed ('Carol' is on the AB's grade 3 list, Fughetta on the grade 8 list). The Fughetta is a really good concert piece.



On the whole, I'm with you on the Lefevre Scaramouche. They're OK, but for me, there are more enjoyable pieces to play.

I'll add the Four Characteristic Pieces by Hurlstone, and also a recent piece (purple dolphin started a thread on this some months ago), the Southwold Sonata by James Rae, which is a really great addition to the repertoire.