How Do You Play The Alto Clarinet?
• Wet your reed. Beginners should start off with a 2 thickness, and work their way up. Alto saxophone reeds work fine. Put the reed in your mouth or wet it under a faucet or water fountain. Make sure to wet both sides of the reed. • Assemble the clarinet. Be especially careful when attaching the body piece to the bell; if done wrong it could damage the keys. Put the reed back on the mouthpiece and slide the ligature over it. • Tune the clarinet. It is probably a good idea to invest in a book for a fingering chart. Keep in mind that the alto has the same fingerings as the clarinet, but it is in a different key. In a full orchestra score, the alto clarinet most often has the same part as the alto saxophone. • Play a few scales and warm up. Stretch your fingers out. If you already play the clarinet then this will be pretty simple for you; and it’s even better if you play the bass clarinet. • Use air support! This is exceedingly crucial while playing the alto clarinet, especially when play
