Ok, I've been playing for roughly four or three years, and I'm in the school band. I also go to many other bands (alot harder than the regular school band) and play much harder-than-I'm-supposed-to-at-my-level peices. One thing that really bugs me when I'm trying to play in one of those bands or a solo for a competition, is the break. Now, I know that it's pretty much impossible to actually get rid of it, but is there any possible way to make the break from A to B easier and shorter? Mine's about..... 3/4 of a second. If you have any tips on how to cut that down to 0/4 of a second, please let me know.

There are a number of reasons you could be having trouble (and it could be more than one of them). Your tongue could be low. Think of saying "hee" in order to bring it up. This should have the effect of making your air faster. If your blowing like you're fogging up a window, that's going to cause a lot of problems.

You might be backing off on your air when going for the second register. Work on register slurs (play a low note and add the register key without stopping). Think about increasing the air as you press the register key to counteract any tendency to back off on the air. This exercise is useful for clarinetists at any stage in their development.

It's possible that your biting. Think of exerting pressure down the mouthpiece, not into it. Make sure your jaw doesn't move when you're playing.

Work on the focus of the tone in the bottom register. Avrahm Galper taught that the key to a good upper register is the lower register. I highly recommend any of his books. If you go to a good music store they should be able to help you. Given your experience, I would recommend his Clarinet for Beginners, available from Boosey and Hawkes, and as you get better, his book Tone, Technique, and Staccato. If you find these too difficult to start, get a copy of Galper's clarinet method books one and two.

See if you can get a lesson or lessons with a more experienced player, who might be able to help you with this. If there's a university with a good program near you, try seeing if you can get a lesson with any of the students. Music departments often have a list of their students who are interested in teaching.

Make sure your instrument is well-aligned. Take each of the middle joints seperately, close all the tone holes, press the bottom into the palm of your hand so it seals, and suck out some air with your mouth. You should be able to create some suction. On the bottom joint, you can even let go of the F/C key and it should hold for a second or two. If you can't get a seal, take it into a qualified repairman to have it fixed. A leak will only make things harder.

I hope this helps you. Keep on playing.