Klarinet Archive - Posting 000454.txt from 2002/07

From: BEresman@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Contra Alto
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 13:56:06 -0400

This is not an answer to Dr. McClune's inquiry, but a somewhat different
question to those who have played the contra instruments enough to be
somewhat comfortable with them.

I just yesterday took delivery of a Selmer contra-alto instrument, Series
9, which is in remarkably good condition. It has been used, certainly, but
it seems to be in technically pretty good condition. It seals down to Eb,
and everything seems to work pretty well. The mouthpiece which came with
it is a Selmer Paris C facing which looks to be in pretty good shape. I'm
using Vandoren Bari sax reeds because i have them on hand and they seem to
fit. It's a lot of fun to play in the lower register.

The issue i have had so far is the second register. I'm having difficulty
often getting it to speak at all, and it wants to squawk. I fool around
with my embouchure and sometimes get it to play, but it seems to be *very*
different from the bass clarinet. My question is: Is this "normal"?
Since the instrument seals well enough, and the dual register key seems to
be functioning properly, it doesn't look at first glance to be the
instrument at fault. I just wonder if i need to be looking at a radical
departure from the bass clarinet embouchure, or if i should be looking at
mouthpieces (or reeds? although i use tenor sax and bass clarinet reeds
almost interchangeably--is that considered a sacrelige among the
cognoscenti?)

Brent Eresman
YSI Precision Temperature

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