Hello!
I am Mr. Hutchinson. I will be your instructor for your clarinet lessons and band rehearsals. Together with some practice on your part, we will learn how to play the clarinet. First we need to learn the parts of the clarinet and their individual names.

• When you open the case, you will see each clarinet part in a specific place.
• Take each part out one at a time and return it. Do you see how it fits in the case? Make sure you can put each part back correctly.

Mouthpiece

• Locate the mouthpiece in the case
• Take out the mouthpiece
• Make sure you can identify the mouthpiece
• Put the Mouthpiece back in the case

Ligature

• Locate the ligature in the case
• Take out the ligature
• Make sure you can identify the ligature
• Put the ligature back in the case

Barrel

• Locate the barrel in the case
• Take out the barrel
• Make sure you can identify the barrel
• Put the barrel back in the case

Upper Joint

• Locate the upper joint in the case
• Take out the upper joint
• Make sure you can identify the upper joint
• Put the upper joint back in the case

Lower Joint

• Locate the lower joint in the case
• Take out the lower joint
• Make sure you can identify the lower joint
• Put the lower joint back in the case

Bell

• Locate the bell in the case
• Take out the bell
• Make sure you can identify the bell
• Put the bell back in the case

Mouthpiece Cover

• Locate the mouthpiece cover in the case
• Take out the mouthpiece cover
• Make sure you can identify the mouthpiece cover
• Put the mouthpiece cover back in the case

Cork Grease

• Locate the cork grease in the case
• Take out the cork grease
• Make sure you can identify the cork grease
• Put the cork grease back in the case

Reed

• Locate the reed in the case
• Make sure you can identify the reed
• Put the reed back in the case

Back to the Top

Assembling Your Clarinet

• Now that you know what each part looks like and what it's name is, let's put your clarinet together!
• Follow each step carefully so you don't break or bend anything.

Grease the corks

• All the corks on a new clarinet are dry. You need to grease them.
• Rub a small amount of grease on the corks of the mouthpiece, the upper joint, and the lower joint.
• Clean your hands!

Moisten your reed

• If you are going to be playing your clarinet, now is the time to moisten your reed.
• Take the reed out of the case and place it in your mouth on your tongue.
• Skip this step if you are not going to be playing the clarinet now.

Upper Joint Bridge Key

• Take out the upper joint.
• Hold it with your left hand.
• Cover the tone holes with your hand and fingers. Can you see the bridge key move up and down as you move the keys up and down?
• Keep the tone holes pressed down so the bridge key will be raised up.

Lower Joint Bridge Key

• Take out the lower joint.
• Hold it in your right hand.
• Press your hand and fingers over the tone holes. Can you see the bridge key move up and down?
• You need to be able to see how these bridge keys move to control the next step.

Joining the Upper Joint to the Lower Joint

• The cork of the upper joint goes into the tendon of the lower joint.
• Start them together so the bridge keys are not lined up.

• Hold the tone holes closed so the bridge key on the upper joint stays in the up position.
• Gently twist the pieces together while watching the bridge keys so they don't hit each other.
• Gently twist together until the pieces are all the way together, then-

• While holding the bridge key in the up position (by holding the tone holes down) align the bridge keys together.

• The upper joint bridge key should slide over the wider lower joint bridge key.

Joining Bell to the Lower Joint

• Hold the lower joint with your left hand covering the keys so you don't bend anything
• Gently twist the tendon of the bell onto the cork of the lower joint.

Join the Mouthpiece to the Barrel

• Gently twist the cork end of the mouthpiece into the small end of the barrel.

Join the Barrel to the Upper Joint

• Gently twist the wide end of the barrel onto the tendon of the upper joint.

Lining up the Clarinet

• The flat side of the mouthpiece, the long register key on the upper joint, and the thumb rest on the lower joint should all line up into a straight line.

Back to the Top

• Slide the larger end of the ligature over the mouthpiece.
• Loosen the thumb screws but don't t take them off.

• Place the flat side of the reed on the flat side of the mouthpiece, over the opening.

• Slide the base of the reed under the ligature and
• Line up the top of the reed with the top of the mouthpiece.
• There should be a very thin strip of black of the mouthpiece showing when properly lined up.

• Pull the ligature down tight and hold it down with your thumb.
• Make sure the reed stays lined up with the mouthpiece.

• Tighten the top thumb screw while holding the ligature with your thumb.
• You only need to tighten the screws tight enough to hold the reed in place.

• Place the mouthpiece cover over the assembled mouthpiece to protect your reed from getting broken.

The Left Hand Always Goes On Top

• Again the left hand goes on top
• The left thumb goes over the thumb hole in the back of the clarinet
• The first three fingers curve naturally around the clarinet to cover the three open holes on the upper joint.
• Your hand should curve like you were holding a glass of water.

Right Hand Goes on the Bottom

• The right hand goes on bottom
• The right hand thumb goes under the thumb rest on the back of the lower joint.
• Your fingers should curve around the clarinet naturally to cover the three open holes on the front of the lower joint.
• Your fingers should curve naturally as if holding a glass of water

• When seated you should sit on the front of the chair with your head, neck, and back straight, and your feet flat on the floor.
• When playing, the clarinet should be angled slightly away from your body, keeping your head straight.
• Look, my left hand is on top!

• Always put your clarinet down with the keys facing up.
• Never stand your clarinet on the bell. It will get knocked over and broken.
• Never leave your clarinet resting on a music stand.
• When not playing your clarinet, put the mouthpiece cover on the mouthpiece to protect your reed.
• Put your clarinet away in its case when you are done.

1. Remove and store your reed in the reed guard.
2. Remove the mouthpiece, wipe it out, and put it back in it's place in the case.
3. Swab the entire instrument. (We will go over this in the first week of lessons.)
4. Remove the barrel, wipe it off, and put it back in it's place in the case.
5. Remove the upper joint, wipe off the keys, and put it back in it's place in the case.
6. Separate the lower joint and the bell, wipe the keys off, and return them both to their places in the case.
7. Close all latches tightly.