Great Clarinets to Purchase

•        NEW or USED 1) Buffet, 2) Yamaha, 3) Jupiter Clarinets.  Vito, Accent, Selmer, or Bundy Clarinets will also work.

•        ...or...  Rent an instrument from Robert M. Sides 

Mouthpiece & Reeds

•        Buy a Yamaha 4C Mouthpiece.  This wonderful mouthpiece is the best you can get for the money and will help you sound great for as long as you play the clarinet.

•        In the Future you might get a Vandoren 5RV Lyre Traditional Mouthpiece.  You should only get this one if you are really serious about the clarinet, and you want to upgrade to a professional mouthpiece.

•        Rovner Dark Ligature – if you need a new ligature, or if you want to upgrade from the basic ligature that may have come with your clarinet, get this one.

•         Rico Royal Brand Reeds (the blue box NOT the orange box) is what I would recommend.  The Vandoren Brand Reeds are higher quality and produce a better sound.  Size 2.5 is fine for 6th and 7th grade.  By late 7th grade or 8th grade, you should move to size 3.0.  

•        Rico Reed Gard IV – These are designed to allow you to rotate through using 4 reeds at a time, and will also prevent your reeds from warping while they are in storage.  The plastic sleeves your reeds come in do not do this.  Get the Rico brand.  The ridges on the D’Addario brand reed guard are too far apart and they mess up your reeds, do not get it.   

Cleaning the Clarinet

•        Cork Grease – you must grease your corks at least two times per month.  

•        Clarinet Swab – you want a silk swab with a string, like this one made by Hodge.  They come in different colors!  You must swab out your instrument after you play it before packing it into the case, or the moisture will damage the instrument over time.

•        Mouthpiece Brush – you should brush your mouthpiece inside and outside once or twice a month with soap and water.  

Clarinet Accessories

•        Pencil

•        Music stand

•        TRADITION of Excellence Book 2 or 3 (depending on year of study)

•        Korg Combination Metronome and Tuner 

Clarinet lessons in State College

A) Brandi Davis (https://www.scmusicacademy.org/home)

Clarinet Listening Library