Treasury of Scales for Band and Orchestra: 2nd B-flat Clarinet Book

This book does exactly what it promises: gives second clarinet players material that locks them into the harmonic framework of the entire ensemble. Because so many instruments share the same lines, intonation problems become immediately apparent, and students learn to hear their role within the chord rather than floating independently. Eight pages of daily work covers every scale your band needs, making this one of the most efficient uses of warm-up time.

Playing from this book feels less like running scales and more like singing in a choir; your notes sit within a full harmonic picture, so you hear immediately whether you're in tune and balanced. The variety of keys and the consistent SATB structure mean the work never feels repetitive, even after months of daily use.

Second clarinet players in concert bands and orchestras who need daily scale work grounded in harmonic context. This book serves everyone from high school band members to advanced students who benefit from the disciplined approach to intonation and tone that harmonized scales demand.

• Follow the conductor's tempo markings carefully; Smith's conditions vary to address different aspects of tone production and control at different speeds.
• Listen across your section and the full ensemble for balance; the harmonized context makes it obvious when one voice is covering another.
• Shape each scale through its phrase rather than playing it mechanically; treat these as musical lines, not technical exercises.

Build this into your band's daily warm-up rotation, cycling through different scales and tempos over the course of a week or month. The 96 scales provide enough material that you can establish a consistent routine without repeating the same scale two days in a row, keeping students engaged and building comprehensive key familiarity across the year.

• Intonation in harmonized context across all major and minor scales
• Balance and blend within a four-part texture
• Tone quality control at varying tempos and dynamics
• Harmonic listening and tuning to chord function
• Facility and consistency across the full range of keys