Klarinet Archive - Posting 000498.txt from 1995/06

From: Sal Lozano <Solzano@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: mouthpieces
Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1995 03:01:29 -0400

John wrote:
.
"There are several saxophone forums on AOL and I go through
them occasionally. Just like clarinettists, they discuss
mouthpieces often. And also just like clarinettists, they
agree on practically nothing. One thing that most of them
agree on, though, is that metal mouthpieces do not seem
to work on Alto Sax, at least not as well as on Tenor. From
my experience, I would have to say that I certainly have
seen more metal mouthpieces on Tenor than on Alto.

Now that I mention sax forums on AOL, being the Devil's
advocate that I am, I posted a message on several of the
sax boards that proclaimed that the best Sax players are
clarinet players. Guess what? Virtually nobody challenged
that claim. I've seen it happen several times. My daughter,
after playing clarinet for 4 years, switched to alto sax and
within 6 months she got first chair, as a sophomore.
As I am sure most of you know, Eddie Daniels is one hellava
tenor sax player. He won an international competition several
years back in Vienna, if I recall. Branford Marsalis also
started on clarinet. Can anyone think of any others?"

John Baetens"

John....I'm sorry i didn't see that post on the sax board because i would
have challenged it. Even though the 2 instruments are lumped together, thanks
to the world of jazz and big band music, as well as live musical theatre, I
find it difficult to agree with you.
So many saxophone players are just that, sax players. That is how they
started. Many quite successful. I can give a name of a sax player, who
started on sax ( and not clarinet) for every clarinet player.
To say that the BEST sax players are clarinet players or started on clarinet
first is not accurate.