 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2003-01-26 01:25
I'm doubling on alto sax for the first time (I'm playing the Reed 1 book for my school's upper school musical, Guys and Dolls). I'm having trouble getting the sax out of the way and picking up my clarinet and still keeping track of measures of rests (vice versa is easier). What is the best way of going about this? I'm currently playing clarinet with the sax on my lap so I don't have to unhook it- I just loosen the strap. I have my clarinet sitting on a stand when I'm playing sax. Is there an easier way of doing this?
As if things need to be made harder, I may play flute in some of the songs. The flute part is optional; I might take the option when the parts are easy.
Thanks for reading,
Micaela
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2003-01-26 04:17
Hi Micaela:
Simply put the sax on a sax stand on your right side, that's close to where it hangs when you play it.
Put your clarinet on your left side, or on a peg on the left side of your sax stand (they make clarinet & flute pegs that screw into the legs of most good sax stands).
Look at your music and get a "feel" for where your horns are located. Practice every day switching from sax to clarinet and back again.
It will get easier, then add flute to the mix.
Good luck, it only took me 25 years to get the hang of it (just kidding).
JJM
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-01-26 13:17
Yes, keep the sax on a stand in front and to the right, and the clarinet on a stand, preferrably between your legs. Loosening the sax strap takes far too long. Don't keep the sax on your knee. Knee is reserved for flute and piccolo. Make sure you have a sax strap with a reliable hook rather than a dog leash clip - far faster to clip and release. Photocopy music if necessary so you do not need a page turn during a quick change. Pencil in a warning when a quick change is coming up, so you are prepared.
A change involving unhooking the sax, putting it on a stand, getting a flute or clarinet from a stand, and begin playing can be reduced to 3 or 4 seconds. Practice it! It is an important part of your home practice for the performances. Many shows have around 60 changes of instrument.
If you have less time, have the clarinet jammed between your legs; or the flute already on your lap.
For very quick changes, down to perhpas 1 second, leave the sax hanging around your kneck until you have a chance to release it to the stand.
What is amazing to me is that in some of these shows the arranger knew just so much about the minimum time needed to change between various instruments.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-01-26 17:50
Just lay the flute across the music stand. Especially if it is a *cheap flute.
Regards,
John
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2003-01-26 23:55
Thanks a lot for your detailed descriptions. I'll buy or borrow a sax stand (actually, the sax itself is borrowed) and fix my setup. And it is a cheap flute- also borrowed. I have until March; I'm sure I'll get used to it.
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