First Division Band Method, Part 2: B-flat Clarinet Book

This clarinet book delivers the pedagogical clarity that has made First Division Band Method a standard in thousands of programs. The proven sequence moves students methodically from foundational fingerings through essential scales and melodies, allowing teachers to focus on tone production and musicianship rather than remedying conceptual gaps.

Straightforward and encouraging. The book moves logically from simple open-note exercises into recognizable melodies and folk songs, building confidence as technique expands. Students experience immediate musical reward while developing the fundamentals that sustain progress for years.

Beginning B-flat clarinetists in middle school and high school band programs who benefit from a structured, comprehensive introduction to the instrument. Experienced teachers who want a method aligned with ensemble-based learning will find the correlated material references invaluable for pacing.

• Establish open, relaxed embouchure from the first exercises; the method's early melodies provide ideal opportunities to build consistent tone before introducing technical demands.
• Use the correlated material references to align clarinet progress with your full band's rehearsal schedule, ensuring students advance together across the ensemble.
• Work through the songs and exercises at a deliberate tempo, prioritizing accurate fingering patterns and steady breathing over speed.

This is the core instructional text for clarinet students progressing through your beginning band curriculum. Assign exercises and songs in sequence, using the correlated material notes to ensure clarinet advancement keeps pace with your full ensemble's repertoire and learning objectives.

• B-flat clarinet fingerings (register, lower stack, and extension fingerings)
• Whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note rhythmic reading
• Major and minor scale patterns
• Tone production and consistent embouchure control
• Sight-reading of melodic lines with correlated ensemble material