Klarinet Archive - Posting 000158.txt from 2004/01

From: "Ken Wolman" <kwolman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] learning doubling instruments; was, Hi
Date: Mon, 5 Jan 2004 09:35:37 -0500

Patricia A. Smith wrote:
>
> Nice to see you posting, Rory. Now, that's a lot of music to be
> playing! I think it's excellent that you are branching out so much
> already. Have you considered adding flute or double reeds yet? I'm
> completely serious.
>
> I found flute to be quite a challenge - and have yet to really learn a
> double reed instrument.

Somebody help me out here. One of the little "truths" or truisms I've
heard for several years is that the surest way for a single-reed play to
mess up his (or her) embouchure is with a flute, and vice versa. They
are, I was told, largely incompatible. Now, of course there are lots of
examples of people who play various types of "woodwind" and do so
successfully. I'm thinking again of the late Dolphy who wailed on the
flute, bass clarinet, various saxes too, I think.

Double reed? No clue. I've known schoolkids who've switched over or
been switched over from clarinet to oboe because the school orchestra
didn't have any volunteers, and they seemed to manage the transition
without too much pain. I thought about the English horn at one point
about six years ago until I saw the price of a used Buffet it a store in
Manhattan. Kind of offputting, you might say.

Seriously, are the embouchures NECESSARILY incompatible and can you
just-like-that make the mental-to-physical transition without the
technique of primary instrument suffering?

Ken
--
Kenneth Wolman
Proposal Development Department
Room SW334
Sarnoff Corporation
609-734-2538

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