Learning & Craft · Kimber Books Journal
What players can learn from the Artie Shaw sound
A study of the tone, time, articulation, phrase direction, harmony, and discipline behind a distinctive clarinet voice.
The short answer
What is this book?
How to Play the Artie Shaw Sound is a jazz clarinet visual reference for beginners, developing players, and returning musicians. It brings the note map, scales, songs, and QR-linked audio into one place so players can spend less time searching and more time making music.
Artie Shaw’s clarinet playing sounds calm, focused, and complete.
The sound stays centered from low register to high.
Inside the book
What you will find on the pages
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A visual reference designed specifically for jazz clarinet
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Notation and note names shown beside the matching fingering or position
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Scales selected to reinforce note recognition and instrument fluency
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Songs that move from approachable material toward more developed playing
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QR-linked audio where noted on the Amazon product page
This book breaks down the musical choices behind that result and shows you how to build the same kind of control in your own playing.
The learning idea
Read it. See it. Play it. Hear it.
The most useful feature is not any single chart. It is the connection among four views of the same musical idea. Standard notation shows where a note lives on the staff. The note name gives a beginner a temporary confidence rail. The diagram shows what the hands must do. Scales and songs turn that isolated note into music.
Original exercises, etudes, listening guides, and complete jazz pieces keep the study focused on transferable musical choices rather than imitation alone.
The QR-linked audio adds a listening reference: hear the melody, notice its contour and pulse, then return to the page and reproduce it.
A practical routine
How to use the book without turning practice into homework
- 01
Choose one small target
Pick a note, one scale fragment, or four measures of a song. A narrow goal produces better repetition than trying to “finish a page.”
- 02
Connect the three visual layers
Say the note name, find it on the staff, and match it to the fingering or position. Then remove the spoken cue and read it again.
- 03
Use a scale as the bridge
Play slowly enough that every change is deliberate. The goal is even movement and reliable recognition, not speed.
- 04
Finish with music
Apply the same notes to a familiar song. End while the sound is still improving, and leave a clear starting point for next time.
Reader fit
Who is it best for?
- Beginners learning jazz clarinet
- Returning players who want a visual refresher
- Teachers looking for a clear lesson or classroom reference
- Parents and homeschoolers supporting practice at home
Honest expectations
What this reference does—and what it does not
A chart can answer “Which fingering or position belongs to this note?” It cannot watch hand shape, adjust embouchure, diagnose tension, or hear whether the tone is centered. That distinction matters. This book is designed to complement instruction and structured practice, not pretend that a static page can replace feedback.
Used for the job it actually does, it can be extremely handy: a stable visual map, a scale reference, a bank of playable material, and a quick way back into the instrument after time away.
Questions, answered
What readers usually want to know
•Is How to Play the Artie Shaw Sound suitable for a complete beginner?
Yes. The book is designed as a visual starting reference for beginners and a reusable refresher for developing or returning jazz clarinet players. It does not assume advanced theory knowledge.
•What does the visual learning system show?
The pages connect standard notation and note names to the matching fingering, hole pattern, valve combination, or slide position. Scales and songs then use those same notes in musical context.
•Does this book replace a teacher or full method?
No. It works best as a visual reference and practice companion. A teacher or comprehensive method can provide individualized feedback on posture, tone, breathing, embouchure, rhythm, and interpretation.
•Does the book include listening support?
Yes. The Amazon product description confirms QR-linked audio for listening and comparison. A phone or tablet is needed to open those links.
