Klarinet Archive - Posting 001196.txt from 1999/03

From: "Kevin Bowman" <kbowman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Instant Sax (long)
Date: Mon, 22 Mar 1999 17:17:59 -0500

As a doubler on sax and as a teacher of both clarinet and sax, I've
been following this thread with some interest. I'd like to make a few
comments on this "instant sax" concept.

First of all, I think the "fewer fingerings" that at least one person
mentioned regarding sax vs. clarinet refers to the fact that the sax
lacks the alternate left and right fingerings for B, C, and C# (middle
of the staff). While this is true, I'd like to point out that a LOT of
clarinets in this world also lack these alternates, as there are a LOT
of albert/simple system clarinets in the hands of clarinetists around
the world. The "fewer fingerings" suggestion may also have referred
to the fact that the basic range of the sax is much shorter than it is
for clarinet. This is not to say that the sax cannot play an extended
range, just that the recognized range is from Bb below the staff to F
or F# 2 1/2 octaves higher while the clarinets recognized range is a
little over 3 octaves (typical high school level ranges). Also, the
clarinet relies *much* more on the pinkies that does the sax,
probably due to the clarinet overblowing a 12th instead of an 8va.

Now for a little of my background: I learned to play the sax after I
had been playing clarinet for a few years (maybe 4, I don't really
remember too well). I *really* wanted to play jazz and was told that
I really should take up sax to do that (I did get to play a couple of
Woody Herman tunes on clarinet in high school :). When I first
got my sax (a student-model Yamaha that I still play, 22 or so
years later) I *was* able to instantly get a sound and play the
most common sounds. Was I instantly competent? NO WAY.
No where *near* as competent as I was on the clarinet at the time.
And now, all these years later, I'm still nowhere near as good on
sax as I am on clarinet (I just don't spend the same amount of
time practicing it). Some things learned on clarinet are transferable
to the sax - finger technique, breathing and air flow, reading music,
etc. But some things are just different - the sax altissimo register
is *murder* - both in terms of fingering and intonation. Vibrato is
usually a foriegn concept to clarinetists. And a whole slew of other
things. So, while I think a fairly accomplished clarinetist (even, say,
a high school student) can pick up a sax and instantly play a tune,
there are many factors that have to be worked on in order to be
truely competent (probably the biggest factor is the tone - it's hard
to get an idea of what a good sax tone should be when you've been
working so hard on hearing a good clarinet tone!)

As an instructor, I have to be acutely aware of the differences between
sax and clarinet because you can't teach clarinet and sax the same
way. I actually find sax harder to teach - probably because I'm not as
developed on the sax myself. Although, it seems to me that my sax
students advance a lot faster in the initial year than my clarinet students
do (I have two students who have played just over a year who already
have a wonderful tone and are beginning to develop a vibrato).

I have a rare adult student who has been playing sax for 20 years and
wanted to learn clarinet. He was able to get a sound on the clarinet
(although I have to constantly point corrections to his embouchure) and
he could play a few tunes that did not cross the break. His biggest
problems are 1) dealing with the 12ths and the different note names for
similar fingerings between the chalemeau and clarion registers and 2)
the additional "wind" needed to play clarinet. It's almost humorous
watching him attempt to play a scale into the altissimo - he instictively
wants to use the throat Ab key and the R.H. trill keys like sax palm
keys - he *really* has think when he goes that high.

A Sidebar:
Since I purchased (what I consider to be) a very good tenor sax a
year ago, I've been really excited about developing my sax chops
(It's a 1937 Conn 10M). I have to admit that it's hard getting motivated
to spend time working on sax tone when I *know* that it will take at
least as long to develop a good tone as it did on clarinet (many years).
Sometimes I just want to say "screw it - it's good enough for jazz" but
I know that hard work will pay off in the end and I'll enjoy playing the
instrument much more when I feel more comfortable with my progress.

Now if could only find time to work on my flute chops too :)
And, while I'm at it, I'd like to play piano like Gene Harris

Kevin Bowman
Clarinet & Saxophone Instructor,
Rochester Conservatory of Music, Rochester, MI
and
Saxophones, Clarinet, & Keys,
B-Side Blues Project

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