John Kinyon's Basic Training Course, Book 1: Clarinet Book

Kinyon designed this method to work seamlessly whether you're teaching solo students, sectional rehearsals, or full mixed ensembles. That flexibility means you're not fighting the pedagogy; you're working with it. The straightforward progression and practical scope make Book 1 a reliable foundation that doesn't ask too much too soon.

Methodical and encouraging. Kinyon's writing avoids overwhelming jumps in difficulty; each new concept arrives when students are ready for it. You advance through recognizable exercises and simple melodies that sound musical, not mechanical.

Beginning clarinetists in a school band program, private studio students, or sectional ensembles beginning their first year. Teachers who want a method that scales from one student to an entire woodwind section will find its design particularly valuable.

• Establish tone production before speed. Early exercises benefit from attention to embouchure and air support; let technique develop before tackling faster passages.
• Work through the book sequentially rather than jumping ahead. Each page builds intentionally on what comes before, so skipping creates gaps in foundational skills.
• Use the exercises as both learning tools and warm-up material. Repeating them across several practice sessions deepens muscle memory and intonation awareness.
• Coordinate with other clarinet students or sections using the same book. Playing unison passages together reinforces rhythm and intonation in ways solo practice cannot.

Anchor your beginning clarinet section with this book during the first year of band. Its dual effectiveness for solo and ensemble work means students progress confidently whether they're learning in private lessons or during sectional rehearsals alongside the full band.

• Basic embouchure and tone production on clarinet
• Reading treble clef notation
• Finger placement and mechanics across the first register
• Whole note, half note, quarter note, and eighth note values
• Simple time signatures (primarily 2/4 and 4/4)
• Breath control and phrasing in short melodic passages
• Coordination of fingering and tonguing at foundational speeds