Do you want the best system to easily learn the clarinet without the most common bad habits that lead to frustration and slow results?
Clarinet Is Easy
The Clarinet Is Easy Course presents easy-to-understand video lessons that help you avoid the most common frustrations on the instrument and guide you to play well as quickly as possible. You can get started by clicking the Buy Now button at the bottom of this page. The course is designed to deliver one lesson per week, for 10 weeks. After you complete the 10 lessons, you still have unlimited access to the course materials. If you want to see all 10 lessons up front (and you have a 30-Day, 100% money-back guarantee), just send me an email after you enrol and I'll set it so that you can access the entire course.
If you have trouble with any of these common challenges:
- High notes that don't sound good, or don't play easily
- Trouble tonguing, especially quickly, or in the high register
- Tone that doesn't quite (yet) match your ideal sound
- Fingers that get stuck, especially in faster or harder music
- Losing your place in music - rhythms that fly by too quickly
- Losing your breath - how do we blow properly?
- Not knowing what you should be doing to sound best
You will find that the Clarinet Is Easy course has solutions for you. If you are a total beginner, lucky you! You will have a chance to learn clarinet with the best possible habits right away! If you are an intermediate player who finds that some things do not work as easily as you would like, you will likely find some better systems within this course to help you play better. You can find the "Buy Now" Button at the bottom of this page to get instant access to Lesson One.
Here are some of the things that are covered in this course:
Clarinet Is Easy - Video Lessons and Workbooks to Help You Play Clarinet More Easily
The Clarinet Is Easy course was originally designed as a course for complete beginners to the clarinet. The written exercises in this course do start at the very easiest level, and cover what most beginning clarinet books would cover in the first year of lessons. The learning concepts - all of the "physical recommendations" are much more sophisticated than what is typically introduced in beginning instruction books. There are many reasons for that. Primarily, I strongly believe that if you learn how to play with the right habits, with the best habits, you avoid so many of the frustrations that are common to clarinetists who struggle along without the recipe for how to do it more easily. This course is also designed for adults, who in my experience, can really benefit from knowing the "big picture" up front - where they are headed in their clarinet development, and they can move there much faster than younger beginners. With the benefit of video-based teaching, which is the core to Clarinet Is Easy, I can show you directly how these exercises and skills work, and you can watch the lessons as many times as you want to. When you finish the course, you should have a strong handle on all of the basic skills that a good clarinetist would want for success in their first couple of years of playing.
There is also a separate course on How to Read Music that covers all of the basics of music reading. Many people find that they are not taught a system to read new music, and therefore struggle when new music is put in front of them. These lessons, which focus on rhythm reading, will really help you to become familiar with many common rhythm patterns, and your sight-reading will improve dramatically. These are a bonus, optional set of lessons that accompany the course.
Here is an outline of some of the materials covered in Clarinet Is Easy. Each week, you will receive a new lesson with approximately 45 minutes of video lessons, and the written exercises that accompany each lesson.
Lesson One
How to Assemble the Instrument Properly
How to Begin Playing With the Best Possible Habits:
The 3-Step Embouchure
How to Blow Properly and Develop Great Air Support
How to Tongue Properly (so many people miss out on this one…)
Left Hand Position - how to set fingers up for more speed and ease
The Best Playing Posture - how to hold our body properly for the best tone
The First Five Notes - open G down to C
Introduction to Music Reading
Definition of the Parts of a Printed Page of Music (staff, key signatures, time signatures, dynamics)
Introduction to the Powerful Rhythm Counting System
Whole notes, quarter notes, eighth notes and rests
Lesson Two
Air Support Skills Training
How to Breathe Properly - train your body to make better use of your lungs/air support
New Notes - Right Hand Finger Training
Throat Tone "A" Key - How To Position the Left Hand for Speed and Ease
Introduction to Slurs
What to Do With Water (gurgly sound) In Tone Holes
Introduction to Playing in Thirds
G Major Scale
Some Fun and Familiar Music to Play
Music Reading Supplement includes:
ties and dotted rhythms
pickup notes
Lesson Three
Focus On the Bottom Lip - how to improve our embouchure
Great Workout for the Right Hand
Long Tones Warmup - the ultimate tone builder
Introduction to Swing Style - (jazz clarinet can be fun!)
F Major Scale
Music by Vivaldi, Beethoven, and popular folk songs
Music Reading Supplement includes:
counting sixteenth notes in many different patterns and combinations
Lesson Four
Introduction to the High Register
Finger Patterns for High Notes (GFED)
How To Play Easily in the High Range (air, fingers & reed strength discussion)
Advanced Long Tone Warm-up - expanding the ultimate tone warm-up
Articulation! - introduction to many great articulation patterns to develop ease and flexibility with tonguing
Working with dotted rhythms
Great music to learn and practise
Music Reading Supplement includes:
dotted eighth/sixteenth note rhythm combinations
many advanced 3/4 and 4/4 rhythms
Music by Mozart, fun folk songs, and even a version of Happy Birthday
Lesson Five
Focus on the High Register - how air and fingers affect these notes
New Articulation Patterns
New Repertoire in the High Register
Tied Rhythms
More Advanced Repertoire to Learn
How to create your own interval exercises
A nice selection of classical and jazzy pieces to play
Music Reading Supplement includes:
6/8 rhythms - extensive patterns
Lesson Six
Focus on Air Support - how to play with absolutely smooth air
The Whisper Technic
Skills Training - Even more advanced long tones
Legato Tonguing
Lesson Seven
High Register Refinement
How to Play More In Tune up High
Tongue Position/Voicing and Tone
Introduction to Stop Tonguing
Staccato Refinement
How to Tongue More Quickly (with good tone)
Finding the Ideal Head/Clarinet Angle
Music by Mozart, Dvorak, Faure and lots of finger gymnastics
Lesson Eight
Working with Lizard Brain! (a very powerful tool)
Chromatic Passages - getting flexible fingers
Two Useful Alternate Chromatic Fingerings
Refining Voicing in the Higher Registers
Music with Chromatic passages
Lesson Nine
Patterns Galore!
These are the building blocks to improve and refine:
fingering
tonguing and slurring
rhythms
Introduction to the Altissimo
A variety of fun music to play this week
Lesson Ten
Playing the full range of the instrument
Refining the Altissimo Register
Some practise strategies to carry you forward
Wrap up and review of the great habits to continue on...
Please read below to find out what other clarinetists like yourself have learned from Michelle's Clarinet Videos.
"I signed up for Michelle's Clarinet Is Easy Course because, after 20 years of being absent from the clarinet, I took it up again, relying completely on my memory. While I did okay on my own, I knew there were subtle errors in my technique that I simply couldn't identify. The Clarinet Is Easy course took me back to the basics, the building blocks of successful clarinet playing. Michelle's explanations are well-articulated and thorough, as well as entertaining. My favorite video is the Lizard Brain Video! :) She clearly loves her horn and is excited to share her passion with others. I was lucky enough to have a Skype lesson with Michelle and I have to say that she is as delightful in person as she is in her pre-recorded lesson videos. I played a passage for her and she quickly identified an error with my embouchure that was having a negative effect on my tone. She patiently gave me tips to improve other areas of my playing and spent more than the allotted time with me, which showed me that she truly is dedicated to helping others. The Clarinet Is Easy course is great for beginners, as well as more advanced players looking to brush up on the basics. I wouldn't hesitate to sign up for a follow-up course! Thanks Michelle!"
Amy Paschal
Costa Rica
"I would just like to say that I really enjoyed your 10 week clarinet course "Clarinet Is Easy". I learned so much in such a short space of time compared to following a tutor book. The way you presented the videos in a clear and concise way made it easy to understand what you were trying to convey and get across to me the pupil. Your presentation was friendly and accurate and I almost got the impression that you were enjoying the lesson as much as the student was. Although I am a beginner, I did appreciate that some of the lessons were more advanced than I could cope with after 10 weeks, but then it was just a case of visiting your web site and playing catch up. I am glad you took this approach because I feel that I got even more value for money as some of the materials could do for Intermediate level. I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for a brilliant 10 week course and I can't wait on your next course coming out."
Jim Robb
Scotland
"As a 40-something adult beginner, I find Michelle's videos to be an excellent instructional tool. I at first tried to learn clarinet using a book with little success. Once I learned the proper embouchure technique, the tone of my notes were dramatically improved. Prior to these lessons, I was unable to make a sound at all above the break, a term Michelle explains in lesson 5. I watch each lesson several times and always learn something new. I was skeptical that a video lesson could be so effective, but I am very happy with the Clarinet is Easy course. Michelle is a wonderful instructor and I couldn't be more pleased with the course. "
Rhonda Sager
Wisconsin
"With no musical experience since elementary school, I have been diligently working on the clarinet for the past year and a half (now age 67). My teachers have been Clarinet for Dummies, Play Clarinet Today! The Art of Clarinet Playing (Keith Stein) and a smattering of YouTube. 3 months ago I bravely began a weekly Brooklyn Conservatory of Music course called Level One Classical Music Theory and Ear Training with a wonderful teacher and 3 classmates. I am very fortunate indeed to have found Clarinet is Easy! Now I have studied - and accompanied you on my first two Lessons. Keith Stein repeatedly stresses the need to have good habits from the very beginning. I have experienced all the frustrations (and more) you mention. It is wonderful to go back to the beginning for me now and relearn in such a methodical and incremental way. My playing has already much improved (very evident to my flute-accomplished wife) and my frustrations have lessened. Your course excels in clarity, repetition of teaching points, selection/design of exercises. All of the above are evident in your Mentor lesson on Left Thumb and Hand Placement which is a wonderful use of my time and which I will now work with for the next two weeks as you prescribe (while trying, trying, trying to remember to protrude my belly when I breath in. Thank you so much!"
David Mann
Brooklyn, New York
"Hello to Michelle and everybody. A big thank you to Michelle for such beautiful explanations concerning hard passages and how to control the fingers, because that is exactly what it is. This wonderful method allowed me to play at the correct speed and without errors, a sixteenth note passage of a piece of Carl Maria von Weber, we play in two weeks with our nice and gentle “Clarinets' group!." This is the first time I succeed. Great, and please go on with your gorgeous videos."
Carole
Paris, France
"Your videos have been very helpful on a variety of issues. I have also been working on your "scale thing" which is actually fun to play, and I have found it to be very helpful in learning the fingerings on many notes."
Peter Watts
Largo, Florida
"I have benefited from all the tips that Michelle has offered but if I can pick out a couple that have been of particular value to me, I would say that "Introduction to the harder scales" and tips on "Using a Metronome" were particularly helpful. I look forward to more good tips in the coming year."
Jim Mercer
Hamilton, Ontario
"I cannot thank Clarinet Mentors enough for posting valuable clarinet know how in the website. As a newbie to clarinets all the videos have been invaluable learning tools. I look forward to more information as I become more and more experienced with the clarinet and music."
Harry Weiss
U.S.A., State of New Jersey
"I am teaching myself to play, and without Michelle's videos, I might still be making very slow progress. After watching her presentation regarding reed selection and positioning, I discovered that the mouthpiece on my student clarinet was not particularly suitable, and my reeds were too soft. The videos were very clear. I purchased a new mouthpiece, and went up a few notches on reed number, and instantly got the results I wanted. You saved me, (and my neighbours), hours of pain and frustration. Thanks Michelle."
Bob Plank
Wales originally, now American
"I was so pleased to discover Michelle and Clarinet Mentors. I had played the bass clarinet in high school but when I was asked to play clarinet in a community band, I had really never had any lessons for this much more difficult instrument. (Sorry Bass Clarinettists!) I was getting by just avoiding really fast runs and notes in the altissimo register, but it got to the point where I realized I really needed some expertise. I came across the lesson on high notes in the altissimo register and overnight, my playing improved dramatically. I no longer avoid those notes over high C. I also found Michelle's technique for improving fingerings of difficult passages extremely helpful. She has great advice and relays that advice in easy to understand language. I'm jealous of her students out in BC. Thank you Michelle!"
Hayley Linfield
Ontario, Canada
"Best practical and technical advice since undertaking to learn to play the clarinet as an adult. My tone has improved 10-fold. High notes are much easier to attain. I've improved my air stream, tonguing, rhythm and much more since subscribing to her video lessons! Thanks a million!!!"
Denis Savard
Saint-Sauveur, Quebec
Money Back Guarantee
Money-back Guarantee for Clarinet Is Easy
Clarinet Is Easy is designed to help you play the clarinet more easily. I would love you to try it risk-free to see if it works for you. If it is not a good fit, and you decide to cancel your membership within the first thirty days, I will give you all of your money back.
100% Money-Back Guarantee for all of the materials for 30 days (You will see five lessons in that time!)
Once you cancel your membership, you will no longer have access to the online videos and lessons. If you remain in the course for the full 10 lessons, your membership will remain active so that you can review lessons at anytime in the future.
Try these lessons risk-free for 30 days. I guarantee that you will find great value, or I will give you your money back!
SPECIAL BONUS FOR CLARINET IS EASY MEMBERS! - Value - $100
The Clarinet Is Easy lesson series comes with a second course that has hours of video dedicated to helping you to read music. If you are self-taught, there may be some basic music-reading concepts that you have missed along the way. The main emphasis on the How To Read Music lesson series is how to understand and read rhythms with ease. Many people find that learning new pieces is challenging because they do not have a system for dealing with complex (or simple) rhythms. This system will help you to read new music much more easily.
