Klarinet Archive - Posting 000014.txt from 1997/12

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Bass clarinet necks
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 14:04:50 -0500

On Mon, 1 Dec 1997, Da Shouryu-man wrote:

> This holds true with all saxes in my experience (I am told that the
> soprano requires an unusally loose embochure, however). The ANGLE has
> NOTHING to do with the sound, only ARTICULATION.

Angle affects tonal character (color, focus, etc.) as well as pitch. It
also affects articulation....a major change when going to bass clarinet
from Soprano (low octave primarily).

> Now, to apply this to bass clarinet. Since the angle of general necks
> place the angle much like saxes, use the same embochure as you would on a
> clarinet and sax. It's not different, really. (Note: Generally, you
> play on softer reeds on lower instruments, so the pressure won't be quite
> as firm; that is the one notable difference between sop. clar. and bass
> clar.) Instead of tonguing tip to tip as you would on clarinet, tongue as
> you would on sax, a bit farther back on the tongue...

Only necessary below low C....otherwise, all can be tongued tip to tip (or
tip to top as I like to say). Tonguing farther down the tongue in other
registers is problematic (unless one tongues that way on clarinet).

Roger Garrett
IWU