Klarinet Archive - Posting 000400.txt from 2004/09

From: =?iso-8859-1?Q?ferengiz=E2de_dani=EAl_shawqy?= <rab@-----.de>
Subj: Re: [kl] Alto Clarinet Questions
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 05:44:57 -0400

Rubbish. It is just different. A decent alto plays certainly much more
easily than a small clarinet. I tried a new R13 alto recently (on a music
fair) and it played by itself (sounded quite boring though, just like the
other R13's). Most altos are, unfortunately, ill made and the usual
mouthpieces are quite dismal. Ever since I obtained and old Chedville,
played with Vandoren alto clar. reeds #3 it took me a couple of weeks to
adjust my embouchure (I now put the reed not quite as far between the lips
as on the Bb) but then it turned out utterly rewarding. I have 3 altos and
the differences are vast. With lesser altos the bell notes tend to have that
ugly tinny sound, often the metal crook is also crumpled, eroded (check
inside, that makes a huge difference, like you would play a Bb with bad
barrel) or otherwise useless. Don't play too soft reeds, it might speak more
easily but it makes it much more difficult to even out the registers. With
the larger reeds the middle register is certainly more "airy" then on a
smaller clarinet. You might try a basset horn mouthpiece with small reeds
(provided the bore matches).
Best wishes,
danyel

----- Original Message -----
From: Richter, Stephen R.
To: klarinet@-----.org
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 9:27 PM
Subject: RE: [kl] Alto Clarinet Questions

The alto clarinet is the "Bastard" of the clarinet family.
Do your best. It is a finicky beast.

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Reyes [mailto:robert.reyes@-----.net]
Sent: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 2:11 PM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: [kl] Alto Clarinet Questions

Hello. I've been given the task of playing the alto clarinet in my
school's
clarinet choir. I have a few questions. I've had the thing for a week
now
and I've had mixed results, one minute it sounds like a musical
instrument,
the next like a dog whistle. I'm using Vandoren 2 1/2 alto sax reeds, a
rovner tenor sax ligature ( it was the only ligature that would fit on
the
mouthpiece), and a Geo M. Bundy 3 mouth piece. The instrument is a
plastic
bundy. Here are my questions, is the upper octave suppose to sound
airy(I
don't mean d above the staff, I mean middle C to C above the staff)?
What
other mouthpieces should I try, and I heard there is a mouthpiece that
is
for alto clarinet that was made just for alto sax reeds. How much of
the
mouthpiece should go into my mouth? Any and all comments would be
helpful.
Thank You.

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