Learning objectives - Clarinet

The clarinet is used in various types of music but is most often found in classical music. Its range is wide, nearly four octaves, and it has a very broad dynamic range. Twelve instruments belong to the clarinet family.

More about clarinet studies.

Level 1

Range: f – bes’

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 80, scales played in quarter notes
Scales

(Choose two out of four)

F major, G major, A minor, chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic g – d’ (optional)

Works and exercises

Piece The poem about the birds from Sönglögin okkar (Our Songs)

(or a similar piece)
Practice Ode to Joy from Klarinetten och jag 1 (The Clarinet and Me 1) (s.38)

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody
  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement
  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 8 bars

Sight reading Play a piece by sight you have not seen before (early in Grade 1)
Study material
  • Klarinetten och jag 1 (The Clarinet and Me 1)
  • Vi spelar Klarinett 1 (We Play Clarinet 1)
  • Accent on Achievement 1
  • Sönglögin okkar (Our Songs)
  • Melodinord

Level 2

Range: e – f”

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 96, scales played in quarter notes
Scales
 F major, G major, C major, A minor, G minor, chromatic

(type of minor scale is optional)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic g – g’

Works and exercises

Piece "Nú er frost á fróni" from Sönglögin okkar (Our Songs),

Money, Money, Money from Klarinetten och jag (The Clarinet and Me),

Edelweiss from Klarinetten och jag ((The Clarinet and Me)

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 23 from 80 Graded Studies

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 12 bar blues, 1x melody line (e.g., original), 1x solo

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 12 – 16 bars, range wider than a fifth

Sight reading Play a piece by sight you have not seen before (Grade 1)
Study material
  • Klarinetten och jag 2 (The Clarinet and Me 1)
  • Vi spelar Klarinett 1-2 (We Play Clarinet 1-2)
  • 80 Graded Studies
  • Sönglögin okkar (Our Songs)
  • Accent on Achievement 1
  • Melodinord

Level 3

Range: e – a”

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 60, scales played in eighth notes
Scales
 F major, G major, C major, B-flat major,

A minor, G minor, E minor, D minor, chromatic

(type of minor is melodic)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic e – e”

Works and exercises

Piece Barcarolle from Classic Experience,

The Sailor's Waltz from Sönglögin (Our Songs),

Dark Eyes from Clarinet Solos

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise no. 27 from 80 Graded Studies

Exercise no. 4 p. 14 in Demnitz

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: 16 bars

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    Length should be about 16 bars, range about an octave

Sight reading Play a piece by sight you have not seen before (late in Grade 1)
Study material
  • Klarinetten och jag 2 (The Clarinet and Me 1)
  • Vi spelar Klarinett 2-3 (We Play Clarinet 1-2)
  • 80 Graded Studies
  • Sönglögin okkar (Our Songs)
  • The Classic Experience: Clarinet
  • Melodinord
  • The Joy of Clarinet
  • Clarinet Solos

Level 4

Range: e – d”’

Basic exam

All scales in one file

Scales

Range One octave
Tempo M.M = 80, scales played in eighth notes
Scales
 F major, G major, C major, B-flat major, D major

a-minor, g-minor, e-minor, d-minor, h-minor, chromatic

(type of minor is melodic)
Triads In all the above keys
Chromatic e – d”’

Works and exercises

Piece Gypsy Life, no. 34 from: Agay: The Joy of Clarinet,

Mozart: Sonatina parts 1 and 2, Editio Musica Budapest,

Debussy: Le Petit Negré from: Wastall (ed.): Practice Sessions

(or a similar piece)
Practice Exercise No. 1 in C major from: Demnitz: Elementarschule fur Klarinette (Elementary School for Clarinet), page 24 Peters

(or another similar exercise)
Option
  1. Improvise from a given start, chord sequence, or melody

    Criteria: …

  2. Play an original piece or own arrangement

    The length should be…

  3. Play a short folk song or national song by ear

    The length should be…

Sight reading Play a piece by sight you have not seen before (early in Grade 2)
Study material
  • Klarinetten och jag 2 (The Clarinet and Me 1)
  • Vi spelar Klarinett 2-3 (We Play Clarinet 1-2)
  • 80 Graded Studies
  • Sönglögin okkar (Our Songs)
  • The Classic Experience: Clarinet
  • Melodinord
  • The Joy of Clarinet
  • Clarinet Solos