Trying to figure out what kinds of gifts to buy for the clarinetist in your life? There are several categories to consider when gift shopping for your clarinetist. The following is a guide on how to select gifts for any player. Basic Equipment Such As Reeds, Mouthpieces, Barrels, and Ligatures For younger players, Vandoren size 2.5 reeds paired with a Vandoren B45 Traditional Mouthpiece and BG L4R Revelation Bb Clarinet Ligature make a great combination. It can be tricky to shop for professional level clarinetists since at that level, each clarinetist uses different equipment specific to their way of playing. Find out what kinds of reeds, mouthpieces, barrels, and ligatures they normally play before shopping. You can purchase a majority of these items directly from your local music store or online. If you are buying as a surprise, you can always order multiple mouthpieces, barrels, and ligatures so the recipient can choose something that fits their instrument. Necessary Accessories Popular and useful gift items include clarinet swabs, cork grease, clarinet care kits, and small screwdrivers. Protec 3-in-1 Clarinet Swabs are very good because they are made out of super absorbent microfiber and are highly efficient at absorbing moisture after playing. La Tromba Cork Grease is also a great present. It is temperature stable and helps prevents clarinet joints from sticking to one another. The Monster Clarinet Care Kit is also a great gift as well, and includes a clarinet fingering chart, cleaning swab, cork grease, pencil, cleaning instructions, monster toy, pad papers, polishing cloth, and convenient carrying bag. Other General Accessories Music stands are always a useful gift. The GLEAM Sheet Metal Music Stand is sturdy, portable, and comes with a carrying bag. Metronomes and tuners are also handy accessories to have. The Korg Chromatic Tuner and Metronome TM40 is a great purchase because it combines both tools in one device that is easy for students and professionals to have at hand. Sheet Music When buying sheet music, consider the current level of the player you are purchasing gifts for. The majority of sheet music can be purchased directly from the publisher, or on Amazon. For the young clarinetist, Guy Dangain’s L’ABC du Jeune Clarinettiste published by Billaudot and Klose’s and Celebrated Method for Clarinet published by Carl Fischer are great technical references and foundational for young clarinetists. Movie Themes for the Clarinet published by Schott Music is another fun option for students. A technical exercise book or book of etudes is an ideal gift for more advanced clarinetists, along with any standard clarinet repertoire. Recommendations include: Ferdinand Capelle’s Vingt Grande Études, Paul Jeanjean’s Vade Meccum, Eugene Bozza’s 14 Études de Mécanisme, Jeannine Rueff’s 15 Études, Agostino Gabucci’s Vingt-six Cadences en forme de préludes, and Vincenzo Gambaro’s 20 Caprices published by Alphonse Leduc. The Rose 32 and 40 Studies published by International Music Company are also strong choices, along with Fritz Kropesch’s 416 Progressive Daily Studies for the Clarinet published by Carl Fischer. Fun Items If your clarinetist has everything, visit www.clarinet-now.com for funny t-shirts, mugs, buttons, and other miscellaneous items celebrating a love for the clarinet.
Gift Ideas for Clarinet Players
