Learning how to play the clarinet is an exciting and rewarding experience but your progress relies on choosing the right music to match your ability. If you try to play something too difficult you may get frustrated but on the other hand if you stay playing basic clarinet songs for too long you may slow down your development. Having regular lessons with a good teacher is also invaluable to your progress.
This guide will walk you through everything from easy clarinet songs for beginners all the way to intermediate and ensemble repertoire. Ensuring you know exactly what to play next. If in doubt, speak to your teacher or contact us for further advice.
What Do Beginners Need to Know?
The clarinet consists of five main parts, the mouthpiece, barrel, upper joint, lower joint and bell and should be assembled carefully to avoid damaging the keys. Using cork grease on the joints can make this easier. Cork grease will also help lower the risk of damage to the clarinet joints when assembling your clarinet.
Reed selection matters too; beginners should start on strength 1.5–2, as anything harder makes sound production difficult, while too soft a reed will limit your tone quality as your technique develops. Make sure your reed is aligned correctly on the mouthpiece; one of the most common issues with tone is from misaligned reeds.
Embouchure, which is the way you shape your mouth and lips around the mouthpiece, is equally important to get right from day one. The key principle is firm corners with a relaxed centre: the corners of your mouth draw inward to create a seal while the area around the reed stays loose enough to vibrate freely, as getting this wrong early creates habits that can take months to undo.
Posture and breathing are the final pieces of the puzzle; sit straight with the instrument angled at roughly 35–45 degrees from your body, left hand on top and focus on diaphragmatic breathing as this is fundamental to tone production on the clarinet.
Top Tip: Before attempting any music, spend time simply producing a steady tone on the mouthpiece alone; it makes a significant difference to your early progress.
Once you are comfortable with the basics, browse the Saxtet clarinet catalogue to find the right music to play.
What Are the Best Easy Clarinet Songs for Beginners?
A beginner-friendly piece should be limited in note range, including simple rhythms and short phrases. If you are searching for easy clarinet pieces for beginners, we recommend scores such as A-round Chinatown, No Sweat, Stepping Out and Stylistic Studies for Clarinet.
A good basic clarinet piece should not only build your technique but also your confidence.
What Intermediate Clarinet Pieces Should You Try Next?
At the intermediate stage you should be comfortable with moving from the lower to higher register via the register key. This stage is usually equivalent to grade 3-5 and you should be able to do varied articulation and dynamics.
For intermediate clarinet pieces, we recommend All Because of You, Canon and Classical Collection.
When Should I Think About Ensemble Playing?
By playing in a duet, trio or quartet you can accelerate progress and keep motivation high, as you will learn off of other people and be motivated to keep up with the group. Playing duets with your teacher or a friend is a great way to further enjoy playing. If you’re at school ask your music teacher about what groups you can join. If you’re an adult learner, why not look for some local groups to join? Ensemble playing is a great way to improve your playing and is great fun!
Ensemble playing is suitable for beginners, intermediate and advanced players. If you are looking for ensemble sheet music, explore our collection.
Where Can You Find the Right Sheet Music?
Your clarinet progression journey should consist of initial easier pieces, then intermediate pieces and beyond.. The right sheet music makes every stage more rewarding.
At Saxtet, we offer a wide variety of sheet music that is available via download, meaning you can use the sheet music immediately after purchase. If you are unsure which sheet music level you are, read our guide on Understanding Difficulty Levels In Sheet Music: What Do Grades Really Mean?
Ready to begin your clarinet journey or find your next piece? Browse our full clarinet sheet music collection at Saxtet Publications.