Adult Review of Tone and Technique Studies for the Novice Clarinetist
Formative Foundations
Jim is dedicated to clarinet pedagaogy witnessed by his continued teaching as a private lesson teacher in the North Texas area.
Music and materials that he began writing in the late 1970s to present culminated in the publication of his Tone and Technique Studies for the Novice Clarinetist by Mel Bay Music. Duets for the Novice Clarinetist is a companion collection available from Sheet Music Plus. These books are clarinet unique focusing on formative technique and musicianship (see returning adult player review at left). His concept of clarinet teaching is “Formative Foundations”. Developing the right habits of embouchure, breathing, hand position are crucial to the successful early development of young clarinetists. He gives clinics and prior to the Corona Virus Pandemic maintained a studio 20-30 students in the Dallas area schools.
His instrument is the Buffet R13. Reeds are Vandoren V12. Ligatures Bonade Inverted and Rovner Versa X. Good, responsive instruments and accessories are extremely important in getting good sound production in the early learning process. Vandoren Mouthpieces 5RV, M15, and M13 lyre are best choices. His solo book Lyrical Solos from the British Isles…featuring the English Sonatina follows the beginning (novice) book perfectly. Learning to play a solo with piano accompainment (with live accompanist) is an important step for young players to gain confidence and to be able to enjoy their musical experience. Three selections: English Sonatina, the Girl I left behind me, and Be Thou My Vision are on the Texas UIL list.
American Song Collection, created at the request of William Bay, is comprised of American Colonial and Civil War Songs of intermediate to advanced level of playing. It is in distribution also.
In Summer, 2022 Mel Bay released Modern Etudes for Low Clarinets which provide the majority of High School students with music challenging in pitch, meter, intrepetation rather than trying to play Soprano Clarinet etudes which go into higher pitches that most school instruments are not designed for.
The Highlands for Clarinet and Piano from the Lyrical Solos from the British Isles