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8/6/2019 Extreme Makeover - Clarinet Edition
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Extreme Makeover - Clarinet Edition
Extreme Makeover: Clarinet Edition, Tips and Fundamentals for
the Middle or High School Clarinet SectionDr. Adam Ballif,
Assistant Professor of MusicMesa State [email protected]
- www.mesastate.edu/~aballif
Description of Session
This session will offer tips to the middle and high school
clarinet section and their directors to help improve tone,
articulation, and
clarinet technique. From equipment and setup, to practice
techniques and fundamentals, this session is for anyone who wants
toimprove clarinet playing and teaching and give their school
clarinet section an extreme makeover.
What parts of your clarinet section need a makeover?
Air
Cold Air vs. Warm Air
Laser Beam Air
Band Dynamics and Air vs. Playing as a Soloist
TIPS for TEACHERS - AIR
Breath Builder and Long Tone Endurance
Students should play long tones at 60 in groups of 16 counts
each day.
Long Tone Practice at Forte Dynamics
Playing at varied dynamic levels: Your air must be fast at all
dynamic levels in order to maintain a clear tone.
Embouchure and Tongue Placement (voicing)
Top Teeth on Mouthpiece
Flat Chin - lower lip over bottom teeth
Drawstring corners. No smiling.
When breathing, teeth stay on top of mouthpiece, breathe through
corners of mouth.
No puffed cheeks.
"EE" Tongue
This is the single most important item to fix if you want to
have clarinetists who play with proper intonation and aclear
tone.
Beginners will still get a sound in the low register without
proper voicing. It will demonstrate itself as a problemwhen they
start expanding their range into the upper register.
TIPS for TEACHERS - EMBOUCHURE
Mouthpiece / Barrel Pitch = F# concertIf you hear saliva in the
sound, check horn angle.
Head up, horn down. 30 degree angle to the body.
Embouchure exercises
Register Change Warmup - For young students, only have them play
the first two notes, and the teachershould push the register key
for them.
Harmonics and Bugle Calls for Voicing Flexibility
While fingering a low E, plug the bell with your leg and you can
then produce harmonica-like bugle calls. This isgreat practice for
voicing and becoming aware of how the back of the tongue
functions.
Articulation
Tip of the tongue to the tip of the reed. "Tip to Tip"
There should be no throat motion or embouchure movement.
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8/6/2019 Extreme Makeover - Clarinet Edition
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Extreme Makeover: Clarinet Edition, Tips and Fundamentals for
the Middle or High School Clarinet SectionDr. Adam Ballif,
Assistant Professor of MusicMesa State [email protected]
- www.mesastate.edu/~aballif
Air pressure should remain constant.
"EE" tongue needs to be maintained while tonguing.
Use syllabic cues to help students keep the back of the tongue
high. Use "Lee" instead of "Tee."
Avoid "Anchor Tonguing"
TIPS for TEACHERS - ARTICULATION
How to Teach Proper Tonguing (8 Steps)
Find the tip of tongue, use fingernail.
Place tip of tongue on reed outside the mouth.
Bring mouthpiece in mouth, keeping the tongue on the reed.
Form embouchure.
Build air pressure behind the tongue - then release the
reed.
Touch tip of tongue to tip of reed - dent the sound.
Repeat the above process but stop the reed with the tip of
tongue.
Remove mouthpiece to check tongue placement.
Langenus Page 22 exercise (Push ups for your tongue)
Tonguing Rhythm
Tonguing in 5's
Tonguing in 9's
Warmup Routines and Muscle Building
Long Tones
Chromatic Scale, whole notes at 60, go 4 notes in one
breath.
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8/6/2019 Extreme Makeover - Clarinet Edition
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Extreme Makeover: Clarinet Edition, Tips and Fundamentals for
the Middle or High School Clarinet SectionDr. Adam Ballif,
Assistant Professor of MusicMesa State [email protected]
- www.mesastate.edu/~aballif
5th and 4th Long Tones (This will cover every chromatic pitch,
but also allow for practice moving smoothly betweenregisters.)
Technique Building
Chromatic Scale Exercise ("Old Faithful")
Scales, Arpeggios, and Thirds (Klose method places these nicely
in a circle of fifths pattern.)
Practice Tips
Chunking
A way of grouping beats to practice fast passages. (Always
practice with a metronome.)
Excerpt from "Flight of the Bumble Bee"
Chunking - First Step
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8/6/2019 Extreme Makeover - Clarinet Edition
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Extreme Makeover: Clarinet Edition, Tips and Fundamentals for
the Middle or High School Clarinet SectionDr. Adam Ballif,
Assistant Professor of MusicMesa State [email protected]
- www.mesastate.edu/~aballif
Chunking - Second Step
Five Rhythms to Learn any Passage
Equipment / Setup
Contact Information
Dr. Adam Ballif, Assistant Professor, Mesa State College
1100 North Ave. Grand Junction, CO 81501
(970) 248-1124
[email protected] - www.mesastate.edu/~aballif
