Klarinet Archive - Posting 000986.txt from 1998/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: alto mpcs
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 17:07:49 -0500

I have not actually seen a Texas marching contest......only heard about
them. On the field, a plastic bass clarinet can add color......but so can
a well-played tenor saxophone....in the same basic range. The alto
clarinet, on the other hand, is a waste of time on the field regardless of
what Texas does. The tone does not carry far enough to help the overall
tonal color, and the range is similar to the Alto and Tenor Saxophones as
well as the alto horns/mellophones/marching french horns. There simply is
no reason to mess with this particular color clarinet.

Roger Garrett
IWU

On Fri, 27 Feb 1998, Matthew Hanson wrote:
> You obviously haven't visited a marching contest in East Texas. Not only
> do they march alto clarinets, they march with basses as well. This is
> very common. Depending on the size of the school or band, I've seen
> anywhere from 1 to 14 bass clarinets marched in the East Texas bands.
> Most of them still march military. This is actually more impressive than
> it may sound. Of course since it is military style, they are usually in
> straight lines, or rows. I've been to state marching contest and seen Eb
> contras marched due to small tuba section. It worked somehow.
> As for the alto mouthpiece, a Selmer C* will work fine, but if on a
> student budget stick with the inexpensive Bundy. After all, it is for
> marching.
> Matthew Hanson
> Houston, TX

   
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