Klarinet Archive - Posting 000444.txt from 2004/06

From: RichChPlay@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] switching between instruments
Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 21:05:57 -0400

on 6/27/04 5:35 PM, Bill Hausmann wrote:

>The clarinet embouchure is much firmer, so it does take a little to adjust
>to that when switching back. I was also a clarinettist first and picked up
>sax later. I don't have too much trouble mixing the fingerings, except
>when playing soprano sax (which, held in front, tricks my brain into
>thinking "clarinet") and bass clarinet (which somehow makes me think "tenor
>sax!"). To be an effective doubler, though, as you need to be for pit
>orchestras and big bands, requires that the switches be made pretty much
>instantaneously.

As a clarinetist, who, in the deep dark past did a little doubling on
flute and sax, I remember that one of the tricks is to get mouthpieces
that match as closely as possible in blowing resistance. Thus, on
clarinet, a more open mouthpiece is helpful to more closely resemble the
sax mpc. Such a mouthpiece will also take a little softer reed, which
will also help with the transitions.

Some of this I got from studies with Joe Allard, who was a New York
doubler, mostly in the classical world. He played clarinet, bass
clarinet, and saxophone.

I still find, on those rare occasions when I play bass clarinet, that I
need to find slightly lighter reeds for my Bb clarinet to match up to
what I have to play on the bass.

My $0.02,

David

David Niethamer
dnietham@-----.edu
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/

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