Klarinet Archive - Posting 000389.txt from 1999/01

From: Dodgshun family <dodgshun@-----.nz>
Subj: Re: [kl] Wizard of Oz-any advice?
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 18:29:40 -0500

At 10:49 PM 9/01/99 -0500, you wrote:

>Now if anyone has some tips on finding leaky pads...we would try
>the suction test but not until we've cleaned it out, and blowing air
>with all fingers down and a cork in the bottom doesn't seem to work
>since it pushes some of the pads up. Would a leak light work or does
>the non-reflective characteristic of grenadilla make it less than perfect?

Depending on how bad they are (OK, the leaks on my old bass were pretty bad,
but happily I now have a new one!) you may be able to feel air leaking out
from around the pad when you play - you might need someone else to help you
with this. Also, my teacher sometimes uses a thin strip of cigarette paper
- if you put it in the tone hole then push the pad down to the normal
playing position, you shouldn't be able to pull the paper out. If you can,
the pad's leaking.

>Also someone suggested to me that using a slightly harder reed or
>synthetic reed for bass clarinet could help a little, but a slightly
>softer one on alto sax might help too.

I normally play Vandoren #3 on soprano clarinet, and the same on bass. On
alto sax, I tend to use #2 1/2, as it can be tricky to get low notes on alto
with a harder reed. I've never used synthetic reeds on bass or alto, but I
have used them on soprano sax, which worked well.

>I'll have questions about the logistics of the pit orchestra and what
>stands I should use while juggling.

Nice solid ones which won't tip over! Never ever EVER put a b-cl in an alto
sax stand - I've seen another player smash a mouthpiece that way because the
bass is too top-heavy. Personally I've always found it's easiest to put
b-cl on the left, clarinet under the music stand, providing the music
stand's high enough, and alto on the right. Bassoon stands can work for
b-cl. Just make sure you have enough room to get everything set up the way
you want it.

>I've got my work ahead of me to become proficient at bass and alto sax
>by March 19.

Here's a list of bass tips which my teacher's given me:
- Blow fast; get loads of air through the instrument.
- Supporting the sound is all-important. The sound's gotta come from the
bottom of your lungs.
- If your high notes squeak, don't back off, but support the sound more and
blow faster.
- Make sure you have enough mouthpiece in your mouth - you may need more
than you think.

(Anybody think of any more important principles?)

So long as you get embouchure right, alto sax is not terribly difficult.
Watch out for fingerings though - often I find myself playing alto
fingerings on bass clarinet or vice versa, especially if there's a quick
change......

When I'm doubling, I won't use a neckstrap on bass (this is not so good if
your bass doesn't have a peg!) because a) if your alto strap does work on
bass, unhooking, putting down one instrument, picking up another and hooking
on can take too long, and b) if your alto strap doesn't fit your bass,
having two straps is a complete pain because they get tangled and you always
get the wrong one (I speak from experience......:) ) If there's a really
quick change, I find I can play clarinet with the bass resting on my
shoulder or with the alto hooked and sitting on my lap, and bass with the
alto hooked and on my lap, but you can't really play alto while holding the
bass. I can't, anyway.

>Thanks again for the advice, and I hope no one walks out of the exit
>music that I will practice so much, or else I will find a more club-like
>use for the bass.

Exit music is fun. I did The Wizard of Oz about five years ago, but we had
normal orchestra books - ie we had flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet etc as
seperate books. The best exit music I ever played was Sweet Charity; it
ended with the drummer and percussionist pretty much having a snare drumming
competition, so the conductor never quite knew what was going to happen
every night! We had some interesting moments.

Have fun (I love playing bass - second only to my beloved baritone sax! And
pit playing is great.)

Anna

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