Klarinet Archive - Posting 000725.txt from 1999/10

From: "Andrew J Middup" <Middup@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Eb Clarinet technique
Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1999 17:50:21 -0400

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I have been lurking in the list for six months now and have thoroughly =
enjoyed reading the debates and learning from the tremendous experience =
and knowledge of list members. I hope that some of you may be able to =
give me some guidance as I start to try to master the Eb clarinet which =
I have just acquired .

The instrument is a second hand Noblet Artist model with a Yamaha =
mouthpiece marked with the characters '7C'. The instrument appears to =
play well and has been checked by my local instrument repairer and has =
no significant problems.

I have been playing the soprano clarinet off and on for about forty =
years and for the last ten years have also played the bass clarinet. I =
would describe myself as a keen amateur currently playing in local =
orchestras, bands and chamber groups.

I am very aware that the bass and sopranino are very different =
instruments from the soprano clarinet. It took me about three years of =
regular playing before I became reasonably proficient and confident =
after I acquired the bass. Had I made better use of the resources =
available I am sure that this period could have been reduced as my =
eventual success resulted from two simple pieces of advice concerning =
mouthpiece selection and embouchure (+ practice and perseverance).

By getting good advice at the outset, I would like to try to reduce the =
time needed to become proficient on the Eb and I would like to ask list =
members who play the Eb what they consider to be the most important =
differences when converting a soprano technique to the Eb. My specific =
problems (based on my first week's experience !) relate to fundamental =
problems with intonation from altissimo E upwards and in making =
pianissimo entries in the altissimo range.

This must have been a topic on Klarinet previously and if anyone can =
point me to specific past discussions I would be grateful because I have =
not yet mastered how to use the archive search tool to refine search =
results into a manageable selection.

Andrew

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