Hendrickson Method for Clarinet, Book Two: Clarinet Book

Hendrickson's sequenced approach respects the realities of clarinet pedagogy. By systematically drilling major and minor keys alongside the fingering challenges that actually trip up intermediate players, this book builds genuine technical foundation rather than racing through new material. The expectation that students study for mastery rather than sight-read through pages means real progress happens.

Focused and deliberate. Each exercise builds directly on the last, with no wasted motion or extraneous material. The progression feels like climbing stairs where each step is exactly the right height.

Intermediate clarinetists ready to move beyond Book One or any foundational method. This book works well for students who have solid embouchure control and basic reading skills but need systematic work on key signatures, articulation patterns, and the left-hand facility that intermediate clarinet demands.

• Work through each section multiple times before moving forward. The method is designed for depth, not speed, so allow fingering patterns to become automatic.
• Use a metronome starting slowly on rhythmic figures that feel awkward. Hendrickson's progressive rhythmic exercises reveal themselves once tempo and accuracy align.
• Practice the major and minor key studies in all twelve keys if possible. This accelerates pattern recognition across the entire clarinet range.

Use this as the core solo study material for your intermediate and advancing clarinetists during the school year. The 52-page format works well for a full year of sequential study, with students completing one section every few weeks. Pair it with solo repertoire or band arrangements so technical gains apply immediately to performance contexts.

• Reading major and minor key signatures fluently
• Clarinet-specific fingering patterns for the intermediate range
• Rhythmic figures common to intermediate and advanced repertoire
• Left-hand facility and independence
• Tonguing precision across register changes
• Sight-reading accuracy in studied material