How to Learn to Read Clarinet Music
Teenagers and young adults often have the opportunity to learn how to play an instrument through music programs at their school, and some students make the clarinet their instrument of choice. However learning and mastering this woodwind instrument isn't just for kids. Adults with an interest in trying something new or adopting a different hobby can learn to play the clarinet by first learning how to read clarinet music.
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Instructions
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Learn the length of notes. Identify the different kinds of notes possible on a sheet of clarinet music. Discover the difference between a whole note, quarter note and eighth note. Know that a quarter note is held for one beat while a whole note spans four beats. Practice counting out the lengths and timing of the notes by clapping your hands or tapping your finger.
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Identify each note. Learn what each note is based on where it is on the scale. Know that the scale uses letters A through G, and repeats them at different octaves. Use mnemonic devices to help memorize the notes on the staff. For example, F-A-C-E are the notes in between the lines of the staff while the phrase "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge' represent the notes E-G-B-D-F on the lines in the staff.
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Learn fingering. Purchase a clarinet book or guide that shows the fingerings for the different notes such as the Play Clarinet Today book or the Amsco Clarinet Fingering Chart. Take a course at a local community center or college for beginning clarinet where fingerings for the different notes are taught. Spend time practicing these fingerings and committing them to memory.
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Practice playing the notes. Get your clarinet reed wet and begin playing the different notes in the scale. Provide steady, confident blows into your clarinet to produce rich notes that don't squeak. Start practicing songs with mostly whole notes, as this allows you to change notes slowly before you pick up the tempo and speed of songs.
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Learn other aspects of music. Become knowledgeable about other signs and symbols on your clarinet sheet music such as repeats, crescendos, sharps and flats. Know how to assess your clarinet reed and determine if it needs to be changed as well as how to properly clean your clarinet after use.
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