EXERCISE #1 CLARINET and SAXOPHONE
1. Helps reduce tension of throat, tongue and facial muscles.
2. Promotes correct position and use of the tongue.
3. Improves awareness of jaw pressure.

Background:

  • Proper head position
  • Why heh and teh?
  • Embouchure Training Routine
  • Audio Examples

    Note: Teh... means continue using the syllable teh for the remaining notes.

    1. The notes in measure 1 are to be played "forte". The objective is to attack the notes as crisply as possible. All notes should have the same pitch and volume! The most common problems in measure 1 are:

  • The notes are not crisply attacked.
  • The volume or pitch changes when adding the "t".
  • The pitch and volume changes drastically on the half note.
  • The half note is not held it's full value.

    2. In the beginning it may be necessary to play more than the prescribed amount of breath attacks and tongued notes in measure 1. When you are successful playing measure 1, proceed to measure 2.

    3. The notes in measure 2 are to be played without separation (legato tonguing). However the beginning of each note should be very clear and definite. The common problems in measure 2 are:

  • The beginnings of the notes are not definite sounding more like "leh" than "teh"
  • In trying to make them definite one separates the notes and plays them staccato.

    4. Ideally, this exercise is to be continued to the lowest possible note. In the beginning, however, the lower notes may prove to be too difficult. One should take this to where he or she is comfortable and gradually increase the range downwards and upwards eventually reaching from the lowest possible note to the highest possible note.

    5. If this exercise is practiced without the awareness of pitch, rhythm, and volume, you are wasting your time!!!

    If you find any of the above instructions unclear be sure you clearly understand the meaning of the words used. If you are not sure of the meaning of a word used look up the meaning of the word in a dictionary.

    If there's anything you dont clearly understand on this sheet don't guess! Contact Mr. Morosco for further clarification.

    Copyright© 2012 by Morsax Music