Craftsmanship lies in how and where the fingers move. Artistry lies in how fast and when the fingers move in relation to the character of the musical phrase.

For the best mechanical results, all of the keys should be played with the fingertips
closer to the outer edge of the key rather than towards the fulcrum of the spring or the rod. The action of the fingers must never jostle the clarinet in the embouchure. Even though the action of the fingers must be light, the fingers must never feel "fluffy".

Remember that the natural position of the hand is with the fingers at rest on the clarinet. It requires a muscular effort to raise them up, but it can be thought of as merely gravity that returns them. The fingers should always move confidently and
cleanly, with a feeling of riding on, then squeezing the air column. The fingers should never grip the instrument tightly, but merely rest on it.

When not involved in an actual fingering, the fingers should remain poised directly above the keys or tone holes so that they can be called into use with maximum efficiency.

The fingers should never be withdrawn or curled back and away from the top of the clarinet.

The only time the right hand should ever move from the normal position is when it becomes necessary to arch the first finger upward to play the side keys on the top joint. For accuracy, the first finger of the right hand should move up and into position so as to prepare to play the proper key or keys before the exact moment the note is to be played. This will prevent both inaccuracy and a slapping action of the first finger.

The fingers must feel gluey or sticky so as to play every note cleanly, audibly and evenly, especially when playing a fast passage. Play through the center of the tone, never skim across the top. Think of the notes as directing the movement of your
fingers as opposed to your fingers playing the notes, especially when playing a difficult technical passage.

For impeccability, accuracy and speed the fingers need move only a surprisingly short distance away from the tone holes and keys.

Create flow by reversing the feeling in your hands and fingers until you are unable to distinguish whether you are fingering the notes or the notes are causing your fingers to move.

The key to perfect rhythm, accuracy of execution and beautiful phrasing is slow, repetitive, metronomic practice. This will ingrain each passage into the finger memory and is very practical training for the pressures of performance.

Anticipated fingering is when the fingers are synchronized to rhythmically move ahead of the tongue to perfectly prepare the fingering of the next note when playing staccato. While maintaining steady air pressure, the fingers anticipate the tongue coming off of the reed by reaching the keys during the silence created when the tongue is on the reed. This will prevent any splitting of the tone during staccato playing, no matter how fast. This can be achieved by slow, rhythmic practice.

Finger legato is anticipated fingering while slurring. The fingers must prepare each note to provide the smooth linear connection between the tones necessary for beautiful, lyrical playing. Finger legato prevents hammering or popping the keys of the clarinet which produces a jarring effect in the sound as well as making a vocal "portamento" connection of notes impossible.

Strength of reed greatly affects finger legato ability. A reed that is too weak will encourage hammering. A reed that is too stiff will promote a tight hand followed by cramping and then hammering. A reed of the proper resistance will allow as well as
promote finger legato. Both too much or too little resistance in the tension of the springs will also prevent finger legato while encouraging hammering.

To know all of the possible fingerings on every note is necessary to provide you with colors, resistances and technical options.

It will also provide you with many possible pitch options that still retain a center to the sound. This is totally practical and necessary, for any or all of the following may make it
necessary to call upon an unusual fingering to provide for the proper correction: the voicing or context of the note in the surrounding chord and the possible resultant clash of harmonics; the desired color or effect; your endurance; the condition of the reed at the moment; the volume or resistance that a particular note may require; how hot it is on stage; how hot your clarinet is; in order to slow a passage down; or if there is water
underneath a pad when it is impossible or inappropriate to take the time to clean it out.

The following fingering options should be explored where appropriate: half-holing; the addition of extra fingers or keys; the venting of extra keys; squeezing the fingers over certain holes but not closing them entirely; and the use of harmonic fingerings--especially at dynamic extremes.

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