The Clarinet Ninja Blog
Education, Inspiration, Results
Remembering Ken Peplowski: What Anat Cohen, Paquito D'Rivera, and Evan Christopher Told Me
A new Clarinet Ninja Podcast episode built from three conversations with the clarinetists who knew him best....
The Science of Clarinet Sound: What Your Mouth Is Really Doing (And Why It Changes Everything)
What if everything you were taught about "blowing" the clarinet was making you sound worse and tenser th...
Do Clarinet Ligatures Actually Change Your Sound? We Conducted a Blind Test to Find Out
After years of debate in the clarinet community about whether ligatures really matter, we put seven different l...
I recently had the privilege of sitting down with Larry Guy, a clarinetist whose career spans Broadway, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic, and the Joffrey Ballet. But what makes Larry ...
How to Build a Clarinet Practice Routine That Actually Works: Why Purposeless Repetition Sabotages Your Progress
Every clarinetist has experienced this: hours in the practice room, yet come performan...
James Danderfer’s If Not Now: The Jazz Clarinet Album You Didn’t Know You Needed
What happens when one of today’s leading clarinetists records at the most legendary studio in jazz history? You get Ja...
Trusting the Process and Checking the Results: A Balanced Approach to Clarinet Practice
Happy New Year! As we step into 2025, I wish you joy, success, and fulfillment in all areas of your life. One a...
Clarinet Practice - What’s the most important thing?
That’s a pretty big and general question. My answer is specific and general all at the same time: The most important thing about practicing is tha...
Practicing scales is important. The music we play is mostly scales (and diatonic intervals/chords). Practicing scales is usually seen as boring and dull. Practicing music is usually seen as fun and re...
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