Hi everyone,

Here is the homework for this week.

Jonathon:

  • Remember to pick up some mouthpiece patches at Long and McQuade. I’d suggest looking through some of the music they have for clarinet – see if you can find any beginner suitable books.
  • Try breaking up your practice sessions – do one 15 or 20 minute session in the morning, and one 15-20 minute session later in the evening if possible.
  • Keep working on your chromatic scale. Try practicing at 60, holding each note for two beats (half notes). Remember – when you’re tonguing your notes, try not to leave space in between them! The only time the notes should be disconnected is when you have to take a breath.
  • Keep working on C major scale and the arpeggio. Remember – the arpeggio consists of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 1st note repeated. Practice tonguing the notes going up, and slurring on the way down. Remember to move your fingers off the keys in time with the start of each note, so that things are clean.
  • Look at the first few lines on the page we were working out of in the Rubank book. Remember to hold all of the notes out for their full values.
  • Try not to bite down as much on the mouthpiece/be aware of when you are doing it and try to correct it.

Aubrey:

  • Remember to keep your fingers closer to the keys – especially your two pinkies. Additionally, remember to keep them slightly curved instead of completely straight.
  • Keep practicing C, G, and F major scales and arpeggios. Remember to isolate the difficult parts (usually around the break) and practice them on a loop until they are clean. Make note of your metronome markings (quarter note = ?) for your arpeggios.
  • Sea Shanty Variations: Take a look at the larger gaps in the piece (D to A, C to G) Remember; with D to A, make sure you are able to move your index finger up to the A key in time. We don’t want to hear another note in between. Keep your fingers closer, otherwise any larger gaps will be very difficult to get to in time.
  • Try adding the new rhythms we discussed to How Deep is the Ocean. Try different variations of articulations, and play around with some dynamics. You may want to listen to a couple of different versions on YouTube to see how people interpret the melody!