Are there any general rules about when to use which fingerings for which notes, depending on what comes before or after? Or is it just a case of if it seems akward, it's worth looking at what the alternatives are?

A lot depends on what comes before and after.
Ideally you should be equally adept at both left and right hand fingerings.
If something seems awkward it may be that there is a better alternative but like piano sometimes it's down to enough practice for it not to feel awkward any more.
Sometimes there's no workable left/right solution and you have to learn about sliding and finger substitution.
Any particular alternatives you have in mind?

Lots, but to start with I was definitely struggling to slur C# to D# at the top of the middle 8ve (I think that was it anyway!)

Unless you have one of the clarinets with and extra key - you have no option of a left hand D# so it has to be LH C# and RH D#


I've been taught that it's helpful to use RH B as standard in keys with 2 sharps or more - gets you into the habit for more sharps where it has to be RH B, LH C#, RH D# ... Beginners often are introduced to LH B first so favour it's use. It's good to get used to using both alternatives.

Of course in keys of many sharps - both major and minor - you can end up with a set of notes that you simply cannot alternate Left and right hands and as Sboha has already said you have to experiment with what works best - a slide, a jump or a finger swap on a note or for repeated notes.

In these situations you can find yourself swapping between LH and RH for the same note in different positions in the piece...

If you have specifics - give us the run of notes and we can work out some possibilities for you .....

Sluring is probably more difficult due to the fact that you are using the little finger keys. If these are particularly strong you will find it particularly hard to get smooth movements between notes so check this out too if your clarinet is new ....

I don't know how far down your clarinet journey you are so I hope this makes some sense...

A very useful post DawnF, as was sbhoa's. I was taught LH B and only came across the RH alternative fairly recently. Having small hands makes using RH B difficult for me so I tend not to use it very often. Perhaps I should be stretching my little finger more though. As for other notes, as others have said before, it does depend on the note that comes before and the one after as to which fingering I use.

Not sure that makes sense, but I know what I mean I think.

Thanks so much for your suggestions - they do make sense; I just need to sit down with the fingering chart sometime and look a bit closer at them all!

In the grade 1-8 AB scales book it says that in clarinet repetoire, the player may have to slide fingers to reach the necessary keys... yet I cannot think of a situation like this... can anyone?

I've come across it.
Can't recall much by way of specific pieces but the Forlana from the Finzi bagatelles has a couple of bars where you need to change finger mid note to get to the next one neatly.

There's a piece at band we played recently with D#s in inconvenient places which means a slide (too fast to change fingers mid-note, which is the ideal way to deal with such instances).

Otherwise, in answer to the OP, there are so many alternatives, it'd take me all day to list. Always, as has been said before, learn LH and RH little finger versions of such notes as middle line B etc. , and just generally have as many alternative fingerings in your armoury as possible.

Since starting with my fourth teacher last year, I've learnt a lot of alternative fingerings

For example, top b flat (above the stave), i have learnt to do just have the index fingers plus thumb on register key instead of using the side b flat key.

i learnt both b keys at the same time but my hands were too small for the lh b key so i got into the habit of always using the rh b key.

My teacher has come up with a james bond exercise to help me learn to use both keys so i don't automatically go to the key i'm used

Long Bb, Rach Very useful for getting to/from the F below, amongst other things.

i know that. It's what i was trying to say

Sounds like you're being well trained then Merry Christmas, Rach!

You've met my clarinet teacher Barry. and yep. Merry Christmas to you too!

Quite a few of the carols we've been playing has meant a 'slide' from Eb to C was necessary because of the folllowing note.