Klarinet Archive - Posting 000446.txt from 2000/01

From: "Patricia Smith" <david-patty@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Eb Alto
Date: Sat, 15 Jan 2000 03:01:17 -0500

I would assume you are speaking of the Eb Alto clarinet, as opposed to the
Eb Alto Saxophone, as Mr. Sterns addressed the Alto Saxophone. If you will
indeed be performing on the Alto Clarinet, here are some points to address:
First of all, make sure you have a good mouthpiece. Stock mouthpieces are
generally no better for alto clarinets than for Bb clarinets. As I have not
played an alto for some time, I do not know what the current favorite
mouthpieces are; maybe there is a maker on this list who does alto
mouthpieces?
Secondly, carefully prepare your reeds - make sure you have some choice
just as you would with Bb. Altos tend to play stuffy on the most responsive
reeds, so you will want to adjust the reeds the very best you can. I found
I had to remove more off the lower rails than with Bb, and even a little
closer to the heart. I was not comfortable doing this, as almost all of us
are taught to avoid the heart when adjusting Bb clarinet reeds, but, again,
this will rid you of some of that stuffiness. Just take it a little at a
time, playing after the least little amount of adjustment.
Thirdly, make sure the instrument is in good adjustment. Often, especially
if you are not playing your own instrument, an alto or bass clarinet will
have a lot of lower joint adjustment problems because the players just were
not very careful with it (i.e. holding the lower joint on the pads and not
on the rod when assembling and disassembling the instrument). It is worth
it to check all of this out.
Lastly, make a decision as to whether you will play to the side or out in
front, and whether you will use a neckstrap or not. When I played alto
clarinet, I played out in front, and I did use a neckstrap, as it was
considerably more clumsy for me to hold than my Bb. It is not necessarily
heavy; it is not balanced at the same place as he Bb clarinet, thus (at
least for me) the need for assistance in balancing the instrument. Some
alto clarinet neck straps actually attach to the horn in two places.
Hope this helped.
Patty Smith

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