Klarinet Archive - Posting 000652.txt from 1997/02

From: Anneke Sicherer-Roetman <anneke@-----.nl>
Subj: bass clarinet over the break problem
Date: Wed, 19 Feb 1997 05:22:53 -0500

Hello clarinetters,
Since about 8 months I have taken up the bass clarinet in a wind band
that I already played Bb in. I consider myself still as a beginner,
perhaps advanced beginner. The sound I get from the chalumeau register
and even the throat tones begins to become satisfactory (not good yet),
but above the break all I can produce is a bad sounding b c and c#,
and higher up mostly no sound at all. I have a new Vito bass to low Es.
I still use the mouthpiece that came with it (Woodwind Company) and
Vandoren no.2 bass clarinet reeds. Our conductor, a clarinettist himself,
advised me to try a harder reed. I've tried Vandoren 2 1/2 and that
sound awful (hissing).
My question is: do I still have a lot of practising to do and the
sound will get better eventually, or could a better mouthpiece-reed
combination help me?
--
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| Anneke Sicherer-Roetman (anneke@-----.nl) Utrecht University |
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