Klarinet Archive - Posting 001138.txt from 1997/11

From: Jennifer Rose McKenna <jrm0013@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: New topic...when to transcribe?
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 19:24:09 -0500

On Sat, 29 Nov 1997, Andrea Kellaway wrote:

> It's interesting to read this. I just joined the list, and I have been playing
> the Bass Clarinet for many years, but it was not an available instrument to
> study at my university, so I switched to clarinet and got in. For the past
> four years I have been playing a VERY little bass clarinet at school, until
> last November I performed a solo with the university orchestra on Bass
> Clarinet, and now no one's allowed me to play my clarinet. I am now only
> getting back into my clarinet duties, because my bass clarinet playing is
> effecting my clarinet embouchure drastically. I was wondering if anyone else
> has ever had this problem, and if they ever found a way to rectify it, other
> than 20 more hours a day in the practice room! :)
>
> Andrea
>
> Josh-Boy wrote:
>
> > My roommate plays the contra quite well, actually; our band directors now
> > basically expect him to play it! I have to agree with you, though: the
> > lower clarinets are really tough to play, considering they require so much
> > more air. I attempted to play the contra once -- no luck. Even the Bb
> > bass clarinet proved to be rather difficult to me.... maybe its because I
> > have played clarinet my entire musical career that I have adjusted to that
> > and that alone... who knows?!?
> >
> > Josh
>
>
>
andrea,
i hate to tell you this...i played bass clarinet for 5 years, and loved it
too death, but i was also worried that at whatever university i decided to
study at, a bass clarinet would not be available. i played on a student
model bass clarinet for all those years, and the embochure for that one
was horrible, it was all wrong, and i'll tell you why. the neck!! if it is
shaped like a swans neck it is a tenor sax type neck that requires a tenor
sax type of embouchure. If the neck is shaped more at a 50-60 degree angle
it is a REAL bass clarinet neck and requires more of a clarinet
embouchure, it really all depends on what type of neck you have. the
better the neck the easier it will be to change back and forth. i had the
horrid experience of playing on a horrible bass clarinet for all those
years, and when i switched to clarinet full time, i developed TMJ and it
will for ever plague me. i hope this doesn't happen to you. but i have
spent alot of time developeing both of these embouchures. feel free to
email me jrm0013@-----. ok?

jennifer mckenna
university of north texas
jrm0013@-----.edu
clarinet concentration/music ed major