Klarinet Archive - Posting 000719.txt from 1998/02

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Ophicleide?
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 05:41:28 -0500

At 09:24 AM 2/19/98 +0000, Robin Fairbairns wrote:
>the only serpent i've ever played with was definitely made of wood --
>are you suggesting that it was a `brass' instrument (as were the
>ophicleids on the japanese web address posted yesterday), or simply as
>in its rather gross `brass-instrument-type' mouthpiece?
>
The serpent is a brass instrument in the same general way as a metal
clarinet is a woodwind. While it is made of wood, the mouthpiece and
embouchure are those of brass instruments. The method of changing pitch,
however, is more woodwind-style. The ophicleids are definitely made of
brass. I can see how attempted development of the ophicleid by Adolph Sax
might have lead to the invention of the saxophone.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.