You will need a clarinet that is in good working condition. Cork grease, reeds, reed guards, a mouthpiece patch, ligature, screwdriver, pencil swab and a mirror.
GOLD STAR equipment- baggie and clean, wet sponge, metronome, tuner, reed holder, neck strap and clarinet stand.
Embouchure is the position you hold your mouth in when playing your instrument. A clarinet embouchure consists of a flattened chin and the corners of the mouth pushing in towards the center. This is something you may do naturally when you drink a milkshake through a straw or take a bite out of a sour lemon. Use your mirror to check for a flat chin and firm corners.
Feel like you are standing from the waist up. Do the 'stand up' check. If you can stand up without leaning forwards, you're sitting with great posture and can play beautifully!
Allow air to easily flow into your lungs using tall posture and a relaxed in breath. Use your tongue to speed up your air when you play by placing your tongue in the position for saying "key."
Combine what we worked on in videos 1-4.
Set the case on a flat, hard surface like the floor or a table. Find the label on your clarinet case, that is the top. If there is no label, find the bottom of the latch and place it facing downwards THEN open. Find your mouthpiece and look at the face. It should be completely smooth with absolutely 0 defects. If there is even a small chip or dent, the mouthpiece is ruined and you need to buy a new one. I like the Clark Fobes "Debut."
Add cork grease to the mouthpiece cork if needed, insert into barrel. Find your ligature and reed. Carefully slide the reed out, being careful not to touch the tip to anything, not even your finger. Place reed in mouth or in a small cup of water. If you have a metal ligature, place on the mouthpiece with the screws on the right, wide side down, skinny side up. keep the screws loose but not falling off. Get used to making lots of little adjustments, DO NOT force anything! Slide the butt of the reed in first, careful not to touch the tip. Slide the reed down so that the tip is even with the top of the mouthpiece. tighten both screws so they are snug. Not tight. Not loose. Snug. It is hard to tell if your reed is too high or low at first, you may need to revisit this step if you are not getting a sound.
Put everything together that we have learned in videos 1-7. Sit with tall posture, like you are standing from the waist up, bring the mouthpiece up to your top teeth, thinking "click," "eww"(bringing in corners and flatten chin) and "key." If you get a sound, yay! Hold as steady and as long as possible. Try to sound like me. No sound? Double check your reed. Still no sound? Take more mouthpiece in your mouth. Be sure you are using your corners, not your biters! (teeth) If you are getting a high squeak, take less mouth piece. If you are getting a sound but it is really hard to do, that's normal. (also, your reed may be a bit too high) Play with slightly raising and lowering your reed until it is just right. Think Goldy-Locks and the three bears, find the porridge that is juuust right! Practice this every day to build your embouchure and endurance!
Assemble the clarinet from the bottom up. Careful not to place any pressure on long keys. Only handle the clarinet by touching the body, thumb rest, tone holes and ring keys. (the parts made for your hands)