 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Alan
Date: 1999-11-25 12:59
I've agreed to play a concert with a university using their Leblanc metal contrabass clarinet. I played a Selmer Rosewood Contra-alto many years ago using bari sax reeds with good success. I purchsed some Rico contraalto/contrabass reeds. They say they are for either horn. However, the tip width of these reeds are far too narrow for the contrabass mouthpiece with the horn. Vandoren lists CB reeds. However, I don't want to buy reeds and have the same problems. Anyone out there with CB reed experience to give me a hand? Concert is in a week.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ane
Date: 1999-11-25 13:26
I tried just using the Vandoren bari sax reeds. I think they will probably work out fine. At least they did for me.
Good luck whith the concert!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Willie
Date: 1999-11-25 17:58
I play a metal EEb contra and I have two mouthpieces. The original LeBlanc mouthpiece uses a VanDoren contra reed that is wider than the bari reed and sounds (to me) much better in the lower register and lower clarion. The other mouthpiece is a Selmer and uses a narrower bari reed and is easier to play in the upper range and is a little easier on the lungs when you have tied whole notes for several measures. As for the upper tones both sound like a plastic cello stuffed with dirty socks. The contras were designed for the lower notes and this is their forte. As far as I know, Van Doren is the only supplier of full sized contra reeds, but I may be wrong. Maybe Mark can help us here.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 1999-11-25 18:27
Willie wrote:
-------------------------------
Maybe Mark can help us here.
No clue here, Willie. Everything I know about contras I've read here or on Klarinet. Someday I'll try one of the "beasts" :^)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Willie
Date: 1999-11-25 18:48
Well I'm hooked. The one I'm playing belonds to the local highschool and took me almost two years of off and on off and on tweaking, adjusting and even putting saddle oil on the rock hard pads to get it playable. I'm now looking for one of my own so I can fix it up right. If you listen to some of the newer music, Movie themes, Mannheim, etc., they use a lot of contra now, but I think they mostly cheat it electronicaly.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kontragirl
Date: 1999-11-26 01:10
I played on a Leblanc curved contralto and I never had a problem with the contralto/contrabass reeds, but I can't stand bari sax reeds. But I only played on it for a week, so I don't know if that really counts. Anyway, I would give Vandoren a try, unless you want to try making your own reeds. Reed making and adjusting is a hobby I've picked up recently.
Kontragirl
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Fred McKenzie
Date: 1999-11-29 04:38
Alan wrote:
-------------------------------
I purchsed some Rico contraalto/contrabass reeds. They say they are for either horn. However, the tip width of these reeds are far too narrow for the contrabass mouthpiece with the horn. Vandoren lists CB reeds. However, I don't want to buy reeds and have the same problems.
Alan-
Yours is the exact problem I had when I first received my used LeBlanc Straight ContraBass Clarinet. I found that I could almost use the Rico reed if perfectly centered on the mouthpiece. The Vandoren reed is slightly wider, but still not ideal for the LeBlanc mouthpiece. I still haven't found a source for a wide reed to fit it.
I solved the problem by purchasing a Selmer C* mouthpiece. It can use either reed, but I like the Vandoren best. I'm using a #3 with good results.
Fred
<A HREF="http://www.dreamnetstudios.com/music/mmb/index.htm">MMB</A>
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 1999-11-29 17:44
Alan wrote:
-------------------------------
I've agreed to play a concert with a university using their Leblanc metal contrabass clarinet. I played a Selmer Rosewood Contra-alto many years ago using bari sax reeds with good success. I purchsed some Rico contraalto/contrabass reeds. They say they are for either horn. However, the tip width of these reeds are far too narrow for the contrabass mouthpiece with the horn. Vandoren lists CB reeds. However, I don't want to buy reeds and have the same problems. Anyone out there with CB reed experience to give me a hand? Concert is in a week.
Alan -
The Vandoren CB reeds are the correct width for the wide Leblanc BBb mouthpiece. If you can't get them in time, bass sax reeds will do fine. If necessary, of course, you can narrow them on a flat file, always pulling from the butt toward the tip.
For more than you ever wanted to know about contras, see my long posts at
<A HREF=http:www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?id=10380>http://www.www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?id=10380</A>
and
<A HREF=http:sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?id=8896>http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?id=8896<A>
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kontragirl
Date: 1999-11-29 21:29
Aren't bass sax and contra clarinet reeds the same? I know I buy the evil brand (Rico), but on the box it says contralto/contrabass clarinet and bass sax. Maybe it's just a marketing ploy. Just had to say that, it was really bugging me.
Kontragirl
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
