<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nA question many beginning players ponder is exactly how much time per day or per week should a clarinet player be spending practicing. There\u2019s not an exact number that will fit everyone\u2019s needs, but there are a few guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A beginner will not be capable of practicing nearly as much as a professional player, so they should practice in smaller increments. 10-15 minutes per day is a great place to start.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAs your mouth and fingers build endurance, increase your practice time by 10 minute increments every few weeks<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPracticing an hour per day is a great milestone to achieve<\/strong>, but take your time getting there and only increase practice time when your body is ready for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIt is best to practice everyday and perhaps take one day off per week<\/strong>. Consecutive days off will not aid in retention of muscle memory or materials. <\/p>\n\n\n\nCramming all of the week\u2019s practice time into one or two days <\/strong>is unhealthy and not an efficient way to learn. Just like studying, the skills and technique will have longevity when reviewed regularly, even if in smaller intervals. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAn experienced clarinet player who wishes to get serious about playing should extend their practice beyond 1 hour per day at some point. Many professionals practice 3 hours or more per day<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>How often and how long should you take breaks?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPractice breaks are an essential part of learning to play the clarinet. There are both physical and mental benefits to taking breaks within your practice session. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On clarinet, the embouchure requires a firm grip from the mouth, which will grow tired, and practicing with a loosened embouchure is a bad habit <\/strong>you don\u2019t want to form. This can happen when the mouth muscles give out after practicing for too long. <\/p>\n\n\n\nYour fingers may also become fatigued<\/strong> after playing long passages and start to make more mistakes rather than progress. Playing requires energy, and breaks are an opportunity for a quick recharge. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBreaks are also beneficial to your focus and mentality. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPlaying clarinet for 15-20 minutes and then taking a break for 5-10 minutes will allow you to progress more quickly than practicing for an hour straight. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Short intervals of break will also allow time for the brain to process and for the information to sink into the mind and body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Breaks may be longer if needed for certain players or on particular days, so don\u2019t hesitate to take 20-30 minute breaks<\/strong> when appropriate. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe frequency of your breaks ultimately depends on your endurance. A beginner clarinetist will take more breaks often, whereas a more experienced clarinet player will be able to play for a longer duration without interruption. <\/p>\n\n\n\nClarinet skills<\/strong><\/td>Breaks frequency<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>Beginner player<\/td> 5 – 10 minutes<\/td><\/tr> Intermediate player<\/td> 20 – 30 minutes<\/td><\/tr> Advanced player<\/td> 30 – 35 minutes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\nA beginner might find it best to take a break every 5-10 minutes, an intermediate player can go for 20-30 minutes, and a professional can make it 30-35 minutes comfortably before taking a break. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regardless of your experience, breaks in practice will help your mind process and memorize the material you are practicing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can divide your practice throughout the day so that repetition is occurring after being away from the clarinet for a while. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>How to break up your clarinet practice time <\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEstablishing a well-balanced practice routine is one of the best things you can do for your clarinet playing. Below is an example of how to break down an hour long practice session. <\/p>\n\n\n\nClarinet practice activity<\/strong><\/td>Suggested time spent<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>Stretching<\/td> 2 minutes<\/td><\/tr> Breathing Exercises<\/td> 3 minutes<\/td><\/tr> Long tones<\/td> 5 minutes<\/td><\/tr> Tune<\/td> 2 minutes<\/td><\/tr> Fundamentals<\/td> 13 minutes<\/td><\/tr> Etudes\/method book work<\/td> 15 minutes<\/td><\/tr> Repertoire <\/td> 20 minutes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Warm up and tuning<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe first practice session of the day should begin with a few simple stretches<\/strong> to prepare the body for playing. Arm, wrist, and finger stretches are great for preparing to play clarinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBecause the clarinet is a wind instrument, breathing exercises<\/strong> should also be included to build breath support and improve sound and projection. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are various breathing techniques e.g. the popular \u201cIn and Out\u201d, in which you inhale for \u201cX\u201d amount of beats, hold for 5 seconds, and exhale for \u201cX\u201d amount of beats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next is long tones<\/strong>, which are sustained notes that move slowly so the player can focus on breath control, support, and overall sound. <\/p>\n\n\n\nAfter a few long tones, it is a good time to tune your clarinet <\/strong>using an electronic tuner or a piano.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Clarinet fundamentals: 13 minutes<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe fundamentals portion of your practice includes scales, arpeggios, articulation exercises, finger exercises, register exercises, and dynamic exercises<\/strong>. Sight reading is considered fundamental and can be practiced here as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nScales, arpeggios, and finger exercises are all patterns of notes that will improve your finger and eye coordination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most music is based on major or minor scales, so you should spend at least 7 minutes working on scales and scale-related patterns<\/strong> such as arpeggios.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe other 6 minutes of fundamentals time <\/strong>should alternate between the remaining tasks. You don\u2019t need to necessarily work on sight reading, registers, dynamics, or articulations all in the same day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor example, you could spend 3 minutes on dynamics<\/strong> and 3 minutes on articulations<\/strong>. Dynamics are the louds and softs and music, and articulation is how the note is tongued or slurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe clarinet has 3 registers to play, and switching between them with good tone and volume takes practice. Register exercises may be done for about 3-4 minutes<\/strong> and can also be balanced with one of the other fundamentals.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nSight reading is playing music for the first time by sight without stopping. This may only takes 2-3 minutes depending on the length of the piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within your practice routine, it is helpful to keep things fresh and switch up the exercises within your fundamentals time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Etudes and repertoire: 15 minutes<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nEtude or method books are often a part of private lessons or ensemble rehearsals and may be rehearsed at this point. They will feature music selections that put together the fundamentals and technique you are building.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After practicing the necessary exercises that build your playing, you should definitely reward yourself with practicing a piece you enjoy. This might be a piece of serious repertoire, or something light and fun. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Can you learn the clarinet if you can’t put in the hours?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nYou might worry that you can\u2019t put in the hours to learn the clarinet. <\/p>\n\n\n\nYou can still learn to play the clarinet if you are least playing somewhat regularly, albeit with a limited pace and rate of progression. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
If you can\u2019t put in the time, your playing will eventually hit a plateau<\/strong>. For hobbyists, this might not be an issue, while those who aspire to play well will need to find time to commit.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOftentimes, it is a matter of finding a routine that works for you. First, take into account how much time you have to budget for practicing clarinet, and start there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nearly everyone has at least 15 minutes of their day maybe three times per week that they can set aside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For many people, finding a time of day to regularly practice works best. This could be in the morning, after school, before dinner, or even before bed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n