Bandmasters Review - September 2019

Texas Bandmasters Association Bandmasters Review • September 2019 19 The key to developing outstanding single reed players is to establish and maintain strong fundamentals. It is crucial that beginning students are set up with correct hand position and finger motion to develop adequate technique, and correct embouchure and use of air to produce a characteristic sound in all registers. These fundamentals are the foundation for producing outstanding players regardless of their level or grade. Hand Posi t ion and F inger Exercises For all the woodwind instruments, it is suggested that you teach hand position and finger motion before introducing tone production. To eliminate temptation, collect the tone producing part of the instrument (mouthpiece or head joint) from all beginning students while teaching hand position and finger motion. Be very specific and detailed about how to get the instrument out of the case and assembly to avoid bending keys. Use large mirrors on the music stands and number the fingers to speed up the process of teaching of hand position: Left hand – Thumb, 1, 2 3, Pinky and Right Hand – 4, 5, 6, Pinky. Clarinet When teaching right hand position, have the students put the bell on the left knee and hold the clarinet at the top of upper joint with the left hand. • Place the fingers first and then add the thumb. Place the pinky on the C/low F key. • The fingers should be flat and centered with the tab of the fingers in the middle of the tone hole. • There should be a slight slope to the fingers with the side of finger 4 near the side Eb key. • The thumb rest should be between the thumbnail and the first joint. The thumbnail should be at a 45-degree angle toward the chin so that the fingers lay flat and do not roll on their side. • Stress that the fingers move from the large knuckles, stay low and move straight up and down above the keys. After the hand position is set, teach finger motion through finger exercises. The finger exercises, as well as other additional information, can be found in the convention handout archives on the TBA website. For left hand position, place the clarinet on the right knee and hold the clarinet with the thumb rest in the “V” of the right hand and then lightly wrap the fingers around the lower joint. The key to left hand position on clarinet is the first finger. • Form the loser sign with the thumb and first finger of the left hand. • Keeping the loser sign, cover the first hole on the clarinet with the first finger • Raise the wrist up until the first joint of the first finger touches the A key. • Then, roll the wrist back toward the body until the second joint of the first finger touches the G# key. The student should now see the back of the left hand. • Fold the other fingers out and let them cover the tone holes. The fingers should slant downward at a 45-degree angle and place the pinky on the B/low E key. • The thumb should be across the tone hole at a 45-degree angle with the fleshy part of the thumb covering the hole. Single Reed Success ( Part 1 ) Greg Countryman Part two of this article will appear in the December issue of the Bandmasters Review and includes teaching articulation as well as important aspects of the larger instruments of the clarinet and saxophone family. Greg Countryman presented the clinic “Single Reed Success” at this past summer’s convention and the handout is referenced in this article. It can be found on the TBA website: www.texasbandmasters.org . Select Resources / Publication Archives / Convention Handouts (on the left hand side) / “Single Reed Success”. The key to developing outstanding single reed players is to establish and maintain strong fundamentals. For all the woodwind instruments, it is suggested that you teach hand position and finger motion before introducing tone production. (continued)