Klarinet Archive - Posting 000922.txt from 1995/10

From: Neil Leupold <nleupold@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Bass Clarinet, Stand Partners, etc.
Date: Wed, 25 Oct 1995 09:49:41 -0400

Regarding John Baetens' recommendation that Abby maintain her soprano
playing while learning bass clarinet, I find myself in agreement on the
subject.

I was inches away from earning my degree in performance when I suddenly
had to drop out of school. Having not played for nearly three years, I'm
now back in school, having transferred to Southern Methodist University,
and must now concentrate on regaining my skills as a clarinetist. At my
first and only lesson with the bass clarinetist of the Dallas Symphony
Orchestra, he instructed me to concentrate all of my energies on
regaining my soprano technique (embouchure- and air-wise) before
beginning serious study on the bass again. He doesn't want to see me or
give me any further instruction on bass because he is very strongly of
the opinion that extensive bass playing, to the exclusion of continuous
concentration on soprano technique, will (in his own words) "completely
ruin your Bb sound." Ironically, I bought an absolutely gorgeous new
Selmer low-C instrument over the Summer, but I practice it as little as
possible. I play it in wind ensemble and orchestra on a regular basis,
but I spend all of my practice time on my Bb and A soprano clarinets.
It's beginning to pay off, and I'll feel confident about spending more
time on bass as my soprano abilities continue to return.

NBL

On Tue, 24 Oct 1995, John Baetens wrote:

> From my experience, the
> problem is not switching to bass clarinet that is hard, but going back
> to soprano after playing bass for awhile. I switched to bass clarinet
> in the seventh grade from first chair Bb soprano. When I switched back
> to Soprano in the ninth grade, I had to fight to get back into the first
> section. So my advice is, go with the bass but don't stop practicing
> your soprano!
>
> John Baetens
>