Klarinet Archive - Posting 000616.txt from 1998/02

From: "James Foley" <jafoley@-----.com>
Subj: Re: pleeeeease help me!!
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 11:16:26 -0500

While we're on the subject of alternative clarinets, I'm a Bflat soprano
player with about seven years experience who's just started on Eflat
Alto clarinet last week. It seems like a really top of the line horn,
Leblanc wooden (serial no 8417) with a Leblanc mouthpiece (fairly open
facing). Currently I'm using some Vandoren Alto Sax reeds which I've
tweaked a bit, in sizes 2.5 up to 3.5. The clarinet was recently
serviced, and seems in excellent running order (except for a tone hole
that's a bit of a spit-magnet. I'll have to try some oil on it).

I'm not having any unusual trouble, but was wondering whether there were
any resources for alto players that I might check out. We've got a good
library here, so chances are good that we'd have the music or book, if
anyone had a suggestion. So far, I've come across some good stuff in
the Instrumentalist, but not much anywhere else.

Tuning tends to be pretty sharp in the chalumeau register, but I think
that's an embouchure thing. Once I start resting the top half of my
embouchure on the mouthpiece, the notes start to even out. It has a
really nice altissimo register, though, and the larger key spacing is
wonderful for my long fingers. I can't wait to try bass clarinet after
this!

I'm playing as the bass voice in a clarinet quartet, opposite three
Bflat sopranos. It's a pretty neat sound, and should be even nicer once
I get the tone quality improved. Right now the clarion register sounds
stuffy. Is that characteristic of altos?

Thanks in advance for any comments or advice---James

jafoley@-----.com

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