Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If your instrument is cold when you take it out of the case, warm it up with your hands or by gently blowing hot air through it before playing. This applies more to wooden clarinets, but plastic ones as well. Playing cold can damage your instrument and affect your tone and pitch.

Line your reed up to your mouthpiece. I recommend Vandoren reeds (strength 2.5) to start. When playing in the lower or upper registers and the sound is not producing, make sure the bridge keys connecting the top and bottom joints are lined up correctly.

The higher the note is, the more air support you will need. Try not to "overblow." Think about moving the air faster, not forcing as much air through the instrument as you can.

The reed and ligature are very delicate. Try not to chip the reed tip or bend the metal of the ligature, otherwise it will be much harder (or impossible) to make a sound.

Make sure you put your ligature on properly and fasten it securely. Otherwise, it may slide up the mouthpiece and cause your reed to slip while you play.

I have played clarinet for two years. Even though it can be frustrating in the beginning, it will get easier with practice!