I am very new to playing the clarinet,( 2months) have been teaching myself using a Primary School Band Book, with my daughters help. I can get a reasonable E, F,G,A so far, but when I start going down to D, C and B it just squeaks or makes little noise. SOmetimes I can get a reasonable D, but other times I am hopless. My clarinet was given to me, and is an old school band instrument that had not been played for many years. Can you get clarinets `serviced` or checked over? Might it be the instrument, or might it just be me! My daugther has been playing the oboe for a year in the school band and her friends play clarinet and they sound so good, it has certainly given me a new perspective on what goes in to playing a woodwind instrument. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

make sure your bottom lip is tucked under, give the notes good support from stomach muscles and think about the note you want to hit. also check that your fingers are over the holes properly. you can get clarinets serviced - you might just need a few pads replaced (so the holes wouldnt close properly and the notes wont work)

besides what`s already been mentioned, make sure your mouth isn`t too far down the mouthpiece

don`t worry, you`ll get the hang of it.

a trick that I teach my beginning students haveing that trouble is instead of saying tee or tah say toe....drops the jaw automatically without losing your embouchure settings.

It takes everyone awhile to get beyond the throat range at first. Practice practice practice and those notes will come out before you know it

i am hoping somone can help me. I cant reach the high notes w/ register key! i get nothing. Any tips?

Relax your embouchure and blow a little bit more air into it,low notes need some practise,but you`ll soon get the hang of it. Make sure you cover the holes completely,and there is nothing wrong with your pads also.

High notes just tighten your embouchure a little bit,blow a faster and more focused airstream.They need a lot of practise.

thanks guys, i had a good practice today and managed to get some good d`s, even some c`s, but they still need some practice, I will keep at it!

I have been using a 1.5 reed, what does that mean and when should I go up to a 2

Yes, I think you should go to 2, because 1.5 will probably be too soft and the vibration might not work that good for the low deep, rich sound. Relax, the 2 is not hard at all! I recommend 2 of Rico Royal, and don`t get 2.5 or 3 because it will probably be too hard and sound airy.

When you start playing an instrument it is hard to get notes out. Some old instruments don`t generally work very well though. When I started I could get low notes but the register key didn`t work. You just have to force it to play the low notes.

Hey. i play clarinet in my school band. When i go for low notes and they dont sound good i find that its coz my fingets arnt on the holes properly coz im stretching down to reach the keys!!
Hey if anybody could help me find some sheet music. I really need these songs: shsdes of blue, rumble in the jungle & unchained melody or unchain melody

If anybody knows wher i could get them off the net for free please tell me!