Best fingering for a troublesome pattern.....

My clarinets in 7th/8th grade are having trouble with a pattern of 8th notes that move at a 120+ tempo...

Can anyone help me with alternate fingers?!?!?!?

Repetitive passage of upper G#,A,G#,F#,G#,A,G#,F#

Any tricks to help or just repetition?!?!?!?!?



FROM CLARINET-NOW.COM

Hello KW,


I’m so glad you asked this question. Saying you are 7th/8th grade, I’m going to assume you are talking about the G#,A,G#,F# in the throat tone range of the clarinet. Throat tones are right around open G. However, if you are talking about the higher octave G#,A,G#,F#, in the clarion range, I’ll cover that as well.



Throat tone range G#,A,G#,F#,G#,A,G#,F# - in the Open G range of clarinet

Here you are using the side G# key and the A key right above open G on clarinet. A trick to getting this little figure worked out is to have your left hand position correct. Please visit this clarinet left hand position page to learn more about correct placement as well as look at photos.

If your left hand approaches the clarinet at a right angle (90 degrees), your wrist will have to move a good deal to get from G# to A. Your left pointer finger should hug the G# key and actually touch that key at all times. Then, you can pivot the first joint of the left pointer finger to depress the A key. Also, getting to the F# should feel easier.

I say ‘feel’ easier. Right now, it will feel awkward. But, for you to develop the correct hand position, having your pointer finger hugging the G# key and always close to the A key will really help.

How should you practice this pattern in a way that you can build up to the 120 metronome marking? Get your metronome and click it down to a place where you can comfortably play the technical ‘lick’ perfectly. Add some repetition and look in the mirror
at your hand position. See if your left wrist is moving, if so, do your best to NOT move the wrist. Now, click up a few clicks at a time and play the lick. Click up, play, click up, play, etc… until you are at 120.

Make sure as you increase speed, you are playing the pattern correctly and even. If you reach a point where it is messy sounding, stop and mark that tempo. If you do this each day for a while, you will reach the 120 tempo and have a really impressive clean pattern. You will blow away your peers.

After you blow away your peers, then teach them how to do this.

So, to answer this question, there are no alternate fingerings here. Just good ole practicing.




Clarion range G#,A,G#,F#,G#,A,G#,F# - in the A one ledger line above the treble staff range

Alright, if you need to practice this lick in this range, you really do not have any alternate fingering activity that makes since. Of the notes, you have the choice of middle finger F# (which is the best choice) or forked fingering F# (right hand pointer finger and ring finger banana key). You really have no alternate options for G# and A.

Again, the same technique as before on practicing this lick at a metronome tempo slowly where you can play it perfectly and even. Then, click up the metronome notches until 120.

Best of luck!

Sincerely,
Chris
Clarinet-Now.com

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