Klarinet Archive - Posting 000167.txt from 2000/08

From: Kenneth Wolman <kwolman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Is playing sax detrimental to clarinet playing?
Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 14:11:00 -0400

At 10:25 AM 8/8/00 -0700, you wrote:
>I'm neither a particularly good clarinet player nor sax player, but when I
>started to practice sax a lot I found that almost everything I did was
>directly applicable to clarinet and my clarinet playing improved
>considerably as a result of practicing the sax. The sax embouchure is
>slightly different from clarinet, but practicing the sax strengthened my lip
>overall, gave me more endurance and made me more aware of using my lip and
>adjusting my lip for changes in pitch and tone.
>
>The only negative was that I sometimes lapse into clarinet fingerings on the
>sax and sax fingerings on the clarinet.

Random comments:

Is it wrong to say "Depends which sax, depends which clarinet"? I would
imagine moving from a "normal" Bb or A clarinet to something like a
baritone sax could require immense adjustments to the embouchure; but
moving from a Bb or A to a bass clarinet also requires adjustments. As
noted here a long time ago, I suspect there can be positive effects in both
directions.

I've heard saxophone fingerings described as much more sensible than
clarinet fingerings. I presume that means that the register key on a sax
actually jumps you an octave. I would imagine that is one of the reasons
that most teachers I've heard of insist that their students who have eyes
for the sax begin with the clarinet, because it may be less inherently
"logical" (Yes I am wearing the last asbestos suit in New York despite how
hot it is today). But didn't Eddie Daniels begin with the sax and move to
the clarinet only later? Or am I dreaming?

Personal opinion: I find the soprano sax far harder to play than the
soprano clarinet. I mean in terms of producing a consistent, even tone
throughout the scales, and given mouthpieces and reeds of approximately
equal dimensions and strengths.

I've never tried to play a double-reed of any kind, but the most difficult
instrument I've ever tried to control in terms of tone is a tenor
recorder. Granted, the two I have are relatively (that's a nice way to put
it) inexpensive, but the high-end ones are even pricier than high-end
clarinets and I'd rather not sink three thousand dollars into a thing that
still sounds like the whistle on the A train.

I guess the hardest thing about doubling is if you try to stick the
clarinet and sax in your mouth at the same time. Unless you're related to
the late Martha Raye.

Ken

--------------------------------------------------------
Kenneth Wolman kwolman@-----.com
11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004 212-425-4200, x. 363

---------------------------------------------------------------------
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