Clarinet Is Easy

Do you suffer from these common Clarinet Frustrations?

• High notes that don’t sound good, or don’t play easily

• Trouble tonguing, especially quickly, or in the high register
• Tone that doesn’t quite (yet) match your ideal sound
• Fingers that get stuck, especially in faster or harder music
• Losing your place in music - rhythms that fly by too quickly
• Losing your breath - how do we blow properly?
• Not knowing what you should be doing to sound best

The Clarinet Is Easy course is designed to give you a system to make all of things easier for you. You just haven’t learned how to fix them - YET…

(Listen to the video below to learn how you can solve these frustrations and to learn details about the Clarinet Is Easy course.)

• Learn how to shape your mouth and blow properly so that high notes sound much better and come out easily
• Learn the many different styles of tonguing so that you end up with a fast and versatile tongue
• Train your fingers to work quickly, easily and competently on the clarinet, so that you can just enjoy playing the music
• Develop a beautiful, warm, rich clarinet tone
• Learn how to read music much more quickly and easily

Jim Robb - Scotland

I would just like to say that I really enjoyed your 10 week clarinet course "Clarinet Is Easy".
I learned so much in such a short space of time compared to following a tutor book. The way you presented the videos in a clear and concise way made it easy to understand what you were trying to convey and get across to me the pupil. Your presentation was friendly and accurate and I almost got the impression that you were enjoying the lesson as much as the student was. Although I am a beginner, I did appreciate that some of the lessons were more advanced than I could cope with after 10 weeks, but then it was just a case of visiting your web site and playing catch up. I am glad you took this approach because I feel that I got even more value for money as some of the materials could do for Intermediate level. If I was going to be mega critical it has nothing to do with the course but perhaps you could shoot the videos in HD as so many videos on U-Tube are now in HD as it is a much better picture.
Having said that, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for a brilliant 10 week course and I can't wait on your next course coming out.

David Mann - Brooklyn, NY

With no musical experience since elementary school, I have been diligently working on the clarinet for the past year and a half (now age 67). My teachers have been Clarinet for Dummies, Play Clarinet Today! The Art of Clarinet Playing (Keith Stein) and a smattering of YouTube. 3 months ago I bravely began a weekly Brooklyn Conservatory of Music course called Level One Classical Music Theory and Ear Training with a wonderful teacher and 3 classmates. I am very fortunate indeed to have found Clarinet is Easy! Now I have studied - and accompanied you on my first two Lessons. Keith Stein repeatedly stresses the need to have good habits from the very beginning. I have experienced all the frustrations (and more) you mention. It is wonderful to go back to the beginning for me now and relearn in such a methodical and incremental way. My playing has already much improved (very evident to my flute-accomplished wife) and my frustrations have lessened. Your course excels in clarity, repetition of teaching points, selection/design of exercises. All of the above are evident in your Mentor lesson on Left Thumb and Hand Placement which is a wonderful use of my time and which I will now work with for the next two weeks as you prescribe (while trying, trying, trying to remember to protrude my belly when I breath in. Thank you so much!

Harry Weiss - U.S.A., State of New Jersey

I cannot thank Clarinet Mentors enough for posting valuable clarinet know how in the website. As a newbie to clarinets all the videos have been invaluable learning tools. I look forward to more information as I become more and more experienced with the clarinet and music.

Bob Plank - Wales originally, now American

I am teaching myself to play, and without Michelle's videos, I might still be making very slow progress. After watching her presentation regarding reed selection and positioning, I discovered that the mouthpiece on my student clarinet was not particularly suitable, and my reeds were too soft. The videos were very clear. I purchased a new mouthpiece, and went up a few notches on reed number, and instantly got the results I wanted. You saved me, (and my neighbours), hours of pain and frustration. Thanks Michelle.

Hayley Linfield - Ontario, Canada

I was so pleased to discover Michelle and Clarinet Mentors. I had played the bass clarinet in high school but when I was asked to play clarinet in a community band, I had really never had any lessons for this much more difficult instrument. (Sorry Bass Clarinettists!) I was getting by just avoiding really fast runs and notes in the altissimo register, but it got to the point where I realized I really needed some expertise. I came across the lesson on high notes in the altissimo register and overnight, my playing improved dramatically. I no longer avoid those notes over high C. I also found Michelle's technique for improving fingerings of difficult passages extremely helpful. She has great advice and relays that advice in easy to understand language. I'm jealous of her students out in BC. Thank you Michelle!

Rich Toohey - Cleveland OH, USA

I really like that Michelle always has a number of suggestions to offer to solve problems - and a process for implementation. Of note I use Michelle's alternate high F fingering to check emboucher pressure. Can't be biting! Keep those ideas coming Michelle...

Denis Savard - Saint-Sauveur QC

Best practical and technical advice since undertaking to learn to play the clarinet as an adult. My tone has improved 10 fold. High notes are much easier to attain. I've improved my air stream, tonguing, rhythm and much more since subscribing to her video lessons! Thanks a million!!!

Clarinet Is Easy - Video Lessons and Workbooks to Help You Play Clarinet More Easily

The Clarinet Is Easy course was originally designed as a course for complete beginners to the clarinet. The written exercises in this course do start at the very easiest level, and cover what most beginning clarinet books would cover in the first year of lessons. The learning concepts - all of the "physical recommendations" are much more sophisticated than what is typically introduced in beginning instruction books. There are many reasons for that. Primarily, I strongly believe that if you learn how to play with the right habits, with the best habits, you avoid so many of the frustrations that are common to clarinetists who struggle along without the recipe for how to do it more easily. This course is also designed for adults, who in my experience, can really benefit from knowing the "big picture" up front - where they are headed in their clarinet development, and they can move there much faster than younger beginners. With the benefit of video-based teaching, which is the core to Clarinet Is Easy, I can show you directly how these exercises and skills work, and you can watch the lessons as many times as you want to. When you finish the course, you should have a strong handle on all of the basic skills that a good clarinetist would want for success in their first couple of years of playing.

There is also a separate component on How to Read Music that covers all of the basics of music reading. Many people find that they are not taught a system to read new music, and therefore struggle when new music is put in front of them. These lessons, which focus on rhythm reading, will really help you to become familiar with many common rhythm patterns, and your sight-reading will improve dramatically. These are a bonus, optional set of lessons that accompany the course.

Here is an outline of some of the materials covered in Clarinet Is Easy. Each week, you will receive a new lesson with approximately 45 minutes of video lessons, and the written exercises that accompany each lesson.

Lesson One
How to Assemble the Instrument Properly
How to Begin Playing With the Best Possible Habits:

• The 3-Step Embouchure
• How to Blow Properly and Develop Great Air Support
• How to Tongue Properly (so many people miss out on this one…)
• Left Hand Position - how to set fingers up for more speed and ease
• The Best Playing Posture - how to hold our body properly for the best tone

The First Five Notes - open G down to C
Introduction to Music Reading

• Definition of the Parts of a Printed Page of Music (staff, key signatures, time signatures, dynamics)
• Introduction to the Powerful Rhythm Counting System
• Whole notes, quarter notes, eighth notes and rests

Lesson Two
Air Support Skills Training
How to Breathe Properly - train your body to make better use of your lungs/air support
New Notes - Right Hand Finger Training
Throat Tone "A" Key - How To Position the Left Hand for Speed and Ease
Introduction to Slurs
What to Do With Water (gurgly sound) In Tone Holes
Introduction to Playing in Thirds
G Major Scale
Some Fun and Familiar Music to Play
Music Reading Supplement includes:

• ties and dotted rhythms
• pickup notes

Lesson Three
Focus On the Bottom Lip - how to improve our embouchure
Great Workout for the Right Hand
Long Tones Warmup - the ultimate tone builder
Introduction to Swing Style - (jazz clarinet can be fun!)
F Major Scale
Music by Vivaldi, Beethoven, and popular folk songs
Music Reading Supplement includes:

• counting sixteenth notes in many different patterns and combinations

Lesson Four
Introduction to the High Register
Finger Patterns for High Notes (GFED)
How To Play Easily in the High Range (air, fingers & reed strength discussion)
Advanced Long Tone Warm-up - expanding the ultimate tone warm-up
Articulation! - introduction to many great articulation patterns to develop ease and flexibility with tonguing
Working with dotted rhythms
Great music to learn and practise
Music Reading Supplement includes:

• dotted eighth/sixteenth note rhythm combinations
• many advanced 3/4 and 4/4 rhythms

Music by Mozart, fun folk songs, and even a version of Happy Birthday

Lesson Five
Focus on the High Register - how air and fingers affect these notes
New Articulation Patterns
New Repertoire in the High Register
Tied Rhythms
More Advanced Repertoire to Learn
How to create your own interval exercises
A nice selection of classical and jazzy pieces to play
Music Reading Supplement includes:

• 6/8 rhythms - extensive patterns

Lesson Six
Focus on Air Support - how to play with absolutely smooth air
The Whisper Technic
Skills Training - Even more advanced long tones
Legato Tonguing

Lesson Seven
High Register Refinement
How to Play More In Tune up High
Tongue Position/Voicing and Tone
Introduction to Stop Tonguing
Staccato Refinement
How to Tongue More Quickly (with good tone)
Finding the Ideal Head/Clarinet Angle
Music by Mozart, Dvorak, Faure and lots of finger gymnastics

Lesson Eight
Working with Lizard Brain! (a very powerful tool)
Chromatic Passages - getting flexible fingers
Two Useful Alternate Chromatic Fingerings
Refining Voicing in the Higher Registers
Music with Chromatic passages

Lesson Nine
Patterns Galore!
These are the building blocks to improve and refine:

• fingering
• tonguing and slurring
• rhythms

Introduction to the Altissimo
A variety of fun music to play this week

Lesson Ten
Playing the full range of the instrument
Refining the Altissimo Register
Some practise strategies to carry you forward
Wrap up and review of the great habits to continue on...

Special Bonuses that you receive for FREE with Clarinet Is Easy

BONUS NUMBER ONE - Have your clarinet questions answered in a live webinar
*Everyone who signs up will take part in a live group lesson/webinar. I will answer every question that you have related to clarinet playing. If you are finding something challenging, odds are someone else is too! I have learned some of my most valuable lessons by watching my teachers instruct others. This is your chance to ask me anything that you like, and I will help you out to the best of my knowledge.
Value - $25 (If you cannot participate live, you will receive a video replay)

BONUS NUMBER TWO - How To Read Music and Rhythms 10 - Lesson Course
The Clarinet Is Easy lesson series comes with a second course that has hours of video dedicated to helping you to read music. If you are self-taught, there may be some basic music-reading concepts that you have missed along the way. The main emphasis on the How To Read Music lesson series is how to understand and read rhythms with ease. Many people find that learning new pieces is challenging because they do not have a system for dealing with complex (or simple) rhythms. This system will help you to read new much more easily.
Value - $100

*This bonus applies to members who are still active members at the time the bonus webinar is offered in late January.

Money-back Guarantee for Clarinet Is Easy

Clarinet Is Easy is designed to help you play the clarinet more easily. I would love you to try it risk-free to see if it works for you. If it is not a good fit, and you decide to cancel your membership within the first seven days, I will give you all of your money back.

100% Money-Back Guarantee for all of the materials during your first week

If you decide later on that Clarinet Is Easy is not a good fit, it is easy to cancel your membership. If you choose the weekly payment plan, please cancel your membership 24 hours before your next lesson is due. You simply will not be billed for the next lesson (nor will you receive the next set of videos and written materials).

If you pre-pay for the 10 lessons up front (for the $53 savings), and you decide to cancel your membership after the 2nd lesson and before you have reached the 10th lesson, you will be reimbursed for the value of all remaining lessons.

Once you cancel your membership, you will no longer have access to the online videos and lessons. If you remain in the course for the full 10 lessons, your membership will remain active so that you can review lessons at anytime in the future.