How to Play Scales on the Clarinet

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Last Updated: October 14, 2024 References

Playing scales on the clarinet will help you get used to different key signatures and help expand your musical knowledge. Scales are extremely important in music. An example would be in the Chaconne movement in Gustav Holst's First Suite in Eb, in which there is an eighth note (quaver) run in the clarinet part that is essentially an Eb scale. Scales are used in most music, and scales are also necessary for most auditions. Memorizing the 12 major scales is always a great thing to do.

1

Learn about flats, sharps, and key signatures.

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Recognize flats and sharps, and understand key signatures. Flats make the notes sound a half step (semi-tone|) lower and sharps make them sound a half step (semi-tone) higher. Study your fingering chart, and refer to it if you come across a note you are not familiar with. Also be aware of notes that have two names -- for example, F# and Gb are the same, G# and Ab, etc. This will be important to know on that harder scales.

2

Listen to scales.

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^{[1]
X
Research source} A good musician can tell if they've played a wrong note immediately, even if they've never played a certain scale before. There's a pattern or half and whole steps that you should be able to recognize without even thinking about it.

3

Learn the B flat major scale.

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^{[2]
X
Research source} Since the clarinet is a transposing instrument, it actually starts and ends on C (to play it one octave, start on below-the-staff C and end on third space C). All the notes in this scale are played natural. This is also a good scale to learn if you're just learning to "cross the break" -- get from the second space A to B natural and above.

4

Learn the Eb, Ab, and F scale.

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The “basic” scales are the scales that occur most often in music you will play. These are the Eb scale^{[3]
X
Research source} (starts on F, one flat, the one octave scale is just a matter of lifting fingers), the Ab scale ^{[4]
X
Research source}(starts on Bb, two flats), and the F scale (starts on G, one sharp).

5

Practice the Db, C, and G scale.

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These scales are often played for auditions, if the requirement is to play 7 scales, so they're important to know. These are the Db scale^{[5]
X
Research source} (starts on Eb, 3 flats), the C scale^{[6]
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Research source} (starts on D, 2 sharps), and the G scale^{[7]
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Research source} (starts on A, 3 sharps). Starting to see a pattern here?

6

Learn the Gb, D, A, E, and B scales.

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These scales are: the Gb scale (starts on Ab, 4 flats), the D scale (starts on E, 4 sharps), the A scale (starts on B, 5 sharps), the E scale (starts on F#, 6 sharps), and the B scale (starts on Db, 5 flats).

7

Increase your scales by 2 octaves.

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^{[8]
X
Research source} This will definitely increase your chances of doing well in auditions, and is also a good way to work on high notes. Most scales can be played 2 octaves without any of the highest notes (above-the-staff C# and up), with the exceptions of the C and B scales.

8

Learn to play 3 octaves.

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This is a great way to work on the highest notes on the clarinet, and again, octaves make all the difference in auditions. Some scales are very difficult (almost impossible -- that would be the C and B scales) to play a third octave, so it's best to start with the ones that start the first octave the lowest -- the D, Eb E, and F scales.

9

Learn the chromatic scale.

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It is also very useful for getting your fingering chart into your head. A chromatic scale can start on any note, and it covers the whole range. Typically, clarinets start on G, but any note is fine. The scale pattern would be G, G#, A, A# (Bb), B, B# (C), and so on. It's basically just playing every single note on your fingering chart in order. Work on learning this scale 2 and 3 octaves as well. Another common pattern is from E (the lowest note on a standard clarinet) to E 3 octaves higher.

10

Learn the natural minor and other scales.

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Now that you can play all the major scales, try learning natural minor, harmonic minor, and melodic minor scales, or even more obscure scales, like Romani scales. You can also work even more on your major scales by learning scales in 3rds, or purchasing a method book with scale exercises in it.

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What are the parts the clarinet?

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Mouthpiece, ligature, barrel, upper/lower sections and the bell are the parts of the clarinet.

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How can I memorize scales?

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You might want to buy a book of scales and practice them a lot. Quiz yourself on them or have a friend quiz you. You could also use flashcards.

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What is the highest note on a clarinet?

Joseph_85

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That is a written 4th ledger above the treble clef G for most players.

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Tips

A good understanding of scale theory and the circle of fifths will make scales much easier -- you may not even need a scale sheet anymore.

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Your fingering chart is your best friend. Always have one handy... you'll use it often.

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When practicing difficult scales or high octaves, use tetrachords. Tetra means four, so this basically means practicing four notes at a time. Play the first four notes of the scale over and over, gradually increasing in speed until you can play them cleanly, then move on to the next four.

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Number of Flats/Sharps	Flat or Sharp Added
1 flat	Bb
2 flats	Eb
3 flats	Ab
4 flats	Db
5 flats	Gb
1 sharp	F#
2 sharps	C#
3 sharps	G#
4 sharps	D#
5 sharps	A#
6 sharps	E#

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Warnings

It is a fact of life that scales aren't the most exciting things in the world. You may get bored of scales for a while, which is normal -- play something else for a little bit, and then get back to your scales.

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When learning a scale, learn it by the notes, not the fingerings. If you only know a scale by memorizing the way your fingers move, you may be in trouble if someone asks you to start in a different place (in the case of the chromatic scale), or if you're auditioning and get distracted -- you'll have no idea where to pick back up, and you'll lose points for starting over.

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