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300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises For Clarinet

Damon Hayes

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Published in Claudia Lapping

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If you are a clarinet player looking to improve your sight-reading skills, you have come to the right place! In this article, we will discuss the benefits of sight reading and introduce you to an incredible resource that will help you master this essential skill. Get ready to elevate your clarinet performance to new heights!

The Importance of Sight Reading

Sight reading is a vital skill for any musician. It allows you to play music on the spot, without prior rehearsal or extensive preparation. Whether you are performing in an ensemble, participating in auditions, or simply jamming with fellow musicians, the ability to sight read well greatly enhances your musical experience.

300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises for Clarinet

by Claudia Lapping(Kindle Edition)

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	20173 KB
Print length	:	88 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

For clarinet players, sight reading is particularly essential. As a versatile instrument, the clarinet is often called upon to play a wide range of musical styles and genres. Being able to sight read proficiently ensures that you can tackle any piece of music confidently and accurately, even when encountering new and complex pieces for the first time.

Discover the 300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises

Now, let's introduce you to an incredible resource that will revolutionize your sight reading abilities - the 300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises for Clarinet book. Developed by renowned clarinetist and educator, these exercises are designed to systematically enhance your sight-reading skills from beginner to advanced levels.

300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises Book 300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises For Clarinet

What makes this book unique is its progression. It gradually introduces new concepts, techniques, and musical elements, ensuring a steady and structured learning experience. From simple melodies to complex rhythmic patterns, the exercises cover a wide range of musical challenges that you may encounter.

To further enhance the learning process, the book provides detailed explanations and practice tips for each exercise. You will also find helpful hints on how to approach difficult passages and build confidence in your sight-reading skills. With consistent practice and dedication, you will see significant improvement in your ability to read music fluently and accurately.

The Benefits of Using the 300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises

Using the 300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises for Clarinet brings numerous benefits to your musical journey:

Enhanced Musicality: As you progress through the exercises, you will develop a deeper understanding of musical patterns, phrasing, and dynamics. This newfound awareness will greatly enhance your overall musicality.
Improved Technique: Sight reading requires not only reading the notes but also executing them on your instrument accurately and efficiently. Through consistent practice, you will notice a significant improvement in your clarinet technique.
Expanded Repertoire: With improved sight reading abilities, you can confidently explore new repertoire and expand your musical horizons. You will no longer feel limited or overwhelmed by challenging pieces, as sight reading becomes your trusted companion.
Confidence Booster: As you become more comfortable with sight reading, your confidence as a clarinet player will soar. You will approach performances and auditions with a newfound assurance, knowing that you can handle any musical task presented to you.
Collaborative Skills: Sight reading is not only important for solo playing but also for ensemble performances. The ability to quickly read and interpret music is crucial in group settings, allowing for seamless and harmonious musical interactions.

Mastering sight reading is an invaluable skill for any clarinet player. It opens doors to countless musical opportunities and allows you to express yourself confidently in any playing situation. The 300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises for Clarinet is a remarkable resource that will guide you through a systematic journey towards sight reading mastery. So what are you waiting for? Grab your clarinet, get your hands on this book, and embark on a transformative musical adventure!

300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises for Clarinet

by Claudia Lapping(Kindle Edition)

4.6 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	20173 KB
Print length	:	88 pages
Lending	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported

First and foremost: THIS IS NOT A METHOD BOOK. It is precisely what it says it is: 300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises!

Volume One is comprised of 300 progressive eight-bar exercises that cover the keys of C Major, F Major, G Major, A Minor, D Minor and E Minor. Time signatures include 4/4 (Common Time),3/4, 2/4, 6/8, and 2/2 (Cut Time). The remaining key signatures, additional time signatures, tempo markings and dynamics markings will be covered in future volumes.

All of the exercises are eight measures long. If one has done any study of formal analysis, they will find that eight measures is a typical ‘period’ of music and usually contains two, four-bar phrases (also typical in length). For example, many sonatinas, jazz standards, and pop songs use “32 Bar Form” (A A B A),“Binary Form” (A B),and “Ternary Form” (A B A),with each section often being eight bars. Thus, eight measures (one period of music) makes the perfect length for sight-reading studies in my opinion.

How to use this book: Start where the exercises begin and work across the book — from exercise 1, 5, 9, 13 and so on until you get to a point where the music challenges you and then mark your ending point. The next practice, play exercises 2, 6, 10, 14, and so on… The next: 3, 7, 11, 15 and so on, and finally 4, 8, 12, 16, and so on. If you want to work at your “break point” (the point in the book where you can no longer play musically),work DOWN the page instead of across the pages.

Note: This book is also available in a LARGE PRINT version that for printing purposes had to be divided into two books. If you have poor vision or want this book to be easy to SEE on an electronic device, you might prefer the Large Print Version.

“These books differ from conventional ‘methods’ in that technical and theoretical instructions have been omitted, in the belief that these are more appropriately left for the teacher to explain to the student.” — Bela Bartok, Mikrokosmos.

I whole-heartedly agree with Bartok’s sentiment and if music teachers would ask their students what they like least (or hate the most) about typical lessons, it is the method books that win this contest EVERY TIME. I have completely eliminated method books from my own teaching practice and have much happier and more productive students than ever.

While this book is intended to train sight-reading skills, it may also be used by beginners or those new to reading to acquire basic reading skills, but it assumes one either has a teacher or can at least find C on their instrument. It starts at a very basic level (only three notes) and adds a new note, rhythm, or concept every four exercises and thoroughly reinforces them throughout the rest of the book.

Next, the music’s composition is a slave to its function: The purpose of the books is to train reading skill, and the exercises keep challenging the range that has been established by previous exercises as well as less-than-convenient intervalic skips. They are composed from a ‘music-first’ perspective, as opposed to an ‘instrument-first’ perspective, and are purposely composed to be difficult to memorize.

For example, the first exercises begin on C because they are in the key of C, and then go on to sometimes start and end on different scale degrees of the same key. Those familiar with the Fundamental Modes will likely recognize what they are hearing, but those unfamiliar with these modes will likely be hearing something that sounds a bit different, or odd, until their ears acclimate to these sounds. I see many students go through this process with altered dominants and augmented triads as well.

Additionally, a 20th-century composition technique (Bartok, Stravinsky) — Serial Composition — has also been used on several of the pieces, so if your ears are unfamiliar with this type of music, you might at first

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