Klarinet Archive - Posting 000164.txt from 2000/08

From: Spikus Spiegelus <jnohe@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Is playing sax detrimental to clarinet playing?
Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 13:25:39 -0400

On Tue, 8 Aug 2000, Daniel Paprocki wrote:

> Here's a topic that will fire up the list:
>
> Is sax playing detrimental to clarinet playing? What are people's views
> considering fingering, embouchure, vibrato, etc.

Hmmm...I don't think so; rather, I think playing clarinet betters your
saxophone playing. With the exception of vibrato and them pesky odd
harmonics, clarinet playing can really ready a person for saxophone.
Generally, except for the angle, the embouchure is well set, and assuming
you're not playing a really old horn, the keys fall under the fingers
nicely (and you have even more freedom, since you don't have HOLES to
cover up). It's also easier to change your state of thinking from
registers in 12ths to registers in 8vs, than to do it the other way
around.

> Fingering wise I have found that the articulated G# is great on sax but
> can affect the C#/G# key coordination on clarinet.

True - but I don't treat my G#'s on saxophone like that. My mindset is so
used not NOT having an art.key (even though I play tons of bass, and have
it there as well), and as a result, the articulation mech. really doesn't
get much use, except when I'm depressing the key along with the restof the
entire spatula.

> Also I tend to not us the sax bis Bb since there is no equivalent
> keywork on clarinet.

I'm with you on this - the only thing I use the bis for is trilling
occasionally (when my right hand is so tied up that I can't use 1/1). I
don't find it nearly as useful as the clarinet
fork/banana/kumquat/sliver/defibrilator/whatever.

> Little finger placement can also be affected. Clarinetists use the tip
> of the little fingers for key activation and saxophonists hit the low
> keys with the little fingers flattened.

Mmmm...I only flatten my left pinky when attacking the entire
spatula...well, on tenor is a different story. But on my Selmer Series
II, the C/Eb keys are light and in easy reach, as is the G# and the B on
the spatula (it annoys me to no end that the B/C# positions are reversed
on the sax....). I think this is more or less a matter of keeping one's
clarinet chops up. Personally, I don't practice saxophone all THAT much;
if I do practice, it's either to

1> Get that damned chromatic passage in Well You Needn't
2> Run over a tune in my real book (maybe once or twice a week)
3> An etude or scale study for lessons (erg, the day before the lesson)
4> Vibrato/harmonics study (maybe once or twice a week)

Since saxophones don't use those pinky keys nearly as much as clarinetists
do, I figure that if I do at least as much on clarinet, I'll be fine since
I'm using those pinkys more on clarinet.

And pardon for asking, but when did you become Dr. Paprocki - or have I
just missed that tiny detail all this time? *grin*

J. Shouryu Nohe
http://web.nmsu.edu/~jnohe
Professor of SCSM102, New Mexico State Univ.
"Never put passion before principle. Even when win, you lose."
-Miyagi-san, KKpt.II

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org

   
     Copyright © Woodwind.Org, Inc. All Rights Reserved    Privacy Policy    Contact charette@woodwind.org