How to Hit Clarinet Notes

The sound emitted from a clarinet is controlled by the movement of your tongue against the reed. This is called articulation or tonguing. As you blow air into the instrument, the reed vibrates. This vibration causes the sound. Once you touch your tongue to the reed, it stops the vibration which cuts off the sound. Practicing tonguing is essential to hitting the right clarinet notes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• clarinet
• moist reeds
• chair

1. Sit upright in a chair. It's best if you place yourself on the edge of the chair. Maintain straight posture.

2. Place the clarinet in your mouth. Rest the bottom of the mouthpiece, or the reed, against your bottom lip. Secure your lips around the mouthpiece and pull them back on the sides. It should look a half smile.

3. Practicing tonguing the reed. You want to quickly touch the reed with your tongue as you blow air. This will allow for repetitions of notes. Blow a note and touch your tongue to the reed. Take it off, then touch it again. This is called articulating.

4. Start changing notes now. Tongue the reed every time you move your fingers. It's important to do both movements simultaneously.

5. Speak up your tonguing to create staccato notes. They are similar to legato but are faster and more abrupt.

6. Try playing legato notes now. This is when you play several notes but keep your tongue off the clarinet reed. You're slurring the notes. You're blowing consistently so the notes run together.

Tips & Warnings

• All movement should be inside your mouth. There should be no movement visible from the outside.
• Try double tonguing, too. It's when you hit the same note in groups of two or more.