Clarinet 101
Clarinet 101
Clarinet 101
* The clarinet is held together by corks which must be greased using cork grease every
2-3 days, or when the clarinet is too difficult to put together or pull apart.
Clarinet tonguing
- Say the word “Tahhh…”, feel how your tongue bounces off the roof of your mouth.
- Form your embouchure and start to hold a note, practise tonguing the reed by making
the “Dah” movement without vocalising the sound.
- Keep blowing while making the “Tah” movement - do not let the air stream stop when
you tongue as this creates too much of a gap between notes.
- Practise starting notes by tonguing rather than just blowing as this gives you greater
control over when the note starts and makes a ‘cleaner’ sound.
Reed care
- Remember that the reed is the most important part of the instrument as it creates the
sound. It does this by vibrating against the mouthpiece.
- Reeds are very fragile, always handle them by the thick end and be careful not to hit
them against anything as they chip and split easily.
- Always store reeds in their plastic cover when not playing. Rinse them under cool
water occasionally to keep them clean.