Klarinet Archive - Posting 000500.txt from 1998/02

From: CoolStu67@-----.com
Subj: Re: Naive question
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 1998 20:48:59 -0500

>And, as long as I'm asking stupid questions, I've sometimes wondered what
>the "normal" Bb clarinet is called. I've heard it referred to as
>"soprano", but it seems to me "tenor" fits the pattern more neatly. Of
>course, historical inertia probably has a huge effect here...

Actually, the Bb "soprano" clarinet is equal to the alto sax in pitch, athough
it only only D, not Db like the alto sax does. The alto hits Db3 (aka middle
line flatted inside bass clef), while Bb clarinet hits D3(aka middle natural
inside bass clef). So, one call it an alto. Same is true for the rest of the
pitches, Eb Soprano=Bb Soprano(sax), Eb Alto=Bb Tenor(sax), Bb Bass=Eb
Baritone(sax), etc.

BTW, when I say D and Db, I am talking about concert pitch.