Klarinet Archive - Posting 000007.txt from 1997/12

From: Jennifer Rose McKenna <jrm0013@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: New topic...when to transcribe?
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 13:07:27 -0500

well i hope that this helped you andrea, and if you are looking to get a
new neck for your horn, you will have to call around, i don't know of
any places myself, maybe some other people do. I can imagine them costing
about $100 though, so don't expect to spend less then that. good luck!

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

On Sun, 30 Nov 1997, Andrea Kellaway wrote:

> Thanks to Roger and Jennifer for all of your great advice!
>
> Yes, Jennifer, I am playing on a more sax-like set up. That is why, Roger, I was so
> confused at your statement that the clarinet and bass clarinet embouchures are a lot
> alike. I too play on a student model, but it has a great tone, so I have never seen
> any need to change, but it is the saxophone set up that is doing me harm, I agree.
> Unfortunately, I do not have the money for a better set-up, and all the bass
> clarinets my university owns have the same set up, so I am at a loss for what to do.
> Is it possible to get a proper neck custom made, I wonder?
>
> I also find it hard because my school neglects the bass clarinet in general. My
> teacher, Patricia Kostek is a WONDERFUL clarinettist, but she openly admits that she
> doesn't know as much about the bass clarinet as she would like to, althought she
> WILL double on it if absolutely necessary. This year, Pat is on sabbatical, and we
> have Earl Thomas subbing in for her, and it is only now that we have begun to
> develop my bass clarinet technique....but with all my clarinet duties and Music
> Education responsibilities, I have not had the time. Thankfully, I have stumbled
> upon an excellent resource, it seems!
>
> Andrea
>
> Jennifer Rose McKenna wrote:
>
> > 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
>
>
>