 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-03-28 21:48
The teacher from whom I learned to play the clarinet nearly 45 years ago doubled on saxophone, and is a genius on it, but never practised sax - only clarinet.
From his example, I have tended to do the same, although I play the sax for my amusement, and I am wondering if other doublers practise both instruments, or, if only one, which one?
Hans
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Author: marcia
Date: 2004-03-28 23:49
I double on sax occasionally. If I don't practise it at least a little bit I am sometimes at a loss. Fingerings are similar but there are definite differences. It takes a bit of practise for me to get into "sax mode". But clarinet is my primary instrument so it gets the majority of practise time.
Marcia
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Author: jn_pdx
Date: 2004-03-29 00:53
I practice both. Most of my teachers have been the same way. I've known players that don't practice some their doubles, but most end up having weaker tone or not as much facility if they're not working on it every so often. For example, I've never heard a clarinet player that can play saxophone like a real sax player unless their spending a few hours a week on the sax tone. Fingerings and breathing can be carried over (in that direction - not the other) fairly easily, but the tone never seems to settle unless some serious time is devoted to both instruments.
I don't mind hearing players who don't practice their doubles much, there's just usually someone else I'd rather listen to. Like one of my teachers has said, "You can play both, but which ever one you love less, will love you less in return."
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Author: Wes
Date: 2004-03-29 01:33
For saxophone practice, I play long tones ending on upper or lower intervals to hear the interval. Vibrato practice up to pitch is part of this. Key of the day is a practice routine where you practice all kinds of scales, chords, fragments, etc all in the key selected for that session. Then, one can practice the 32 Etudes or the Oliver Nelson book and end with playing along with the jazz radio station or a record. The clarinet needs work, too. Good luck!
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-03-29 03:25
Hi,
Wes has it right particularily with the 32 Etudes (which I play on clarinet, sax, and flute tranposing octaves as needed). After you play enough, there is this little automatic thing that goes off in your head and you just play it like that instrument.
I also use a very legit sax tone on alto (which I am beginning to enjoy) and a jazz tone as well. With tenor, I only play as jazz. With flute, I strive to improve my double-tonguing and vibrato.
HRL
PS I'm thinking about getting own bassoon. Yikes! I play it but have never owned one.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-03-29 03:58
As for doubling:
"Practice the horns you want to sound good on."
By that I mean, practice all your doubles all the time.
Any horn that sits around untouched, will sound that way when you're called upon to play it.
To be really a great doubler, you must practice all the horns you choose to play well.
To play all your doubles equally well, and have your colleagues unable to tell which was your primary horn, might be a goal to set for yourself?
Just some idle thoughts...now I've got to get back to practicing my doubles!
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-03-29 12:28
Second, third and fourth JJM's comments! Even though I play sax almost exclusively for non-classical gigs, I work on all the fundamentals and classical literature so I have (nearly) as complete command of the instrument as the clarinet. Many doublers also teach those instruments, so it would be inappropriate if not a complete insult to teach an instrument you don't work on to paying students (although it seems to happen all too often).
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-03-29 13:41
So how do people divide up the time? I don't want to list a bunch of words so I'll give examples, based on a '3 hour a day' practice schedule....
Do you . . .
A) Spend 1.5 hours on the main, and 1.5 on the double?
B) Spend 1 hour on main and 2 hours on double until you're at about equal profiency on both?
C) Still spend 3 hours on main so as not to break tradition but now spend x hours on double?
There's a bunch more options I'm sure but I you hope you understand my question. How do you adjust your normal practice time to incorporate another instrument? Especially when your second instrument is probably (at first) going to be much weaker than your primary....
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: William
Date: 2004-03-29 14:40
As usual, JJM delivers the "commandements" of truth from.....(ok, I'll get over it)
My old college marching band director who later became cheif musical director for the Disneyland corporation, used to tell us of the fabulous woodwind doublers he had the privillage of working with in the Hollywood studious. He said they have all of the instruments--single and double reeds, plus flutes/piccolo--"under their chairs" for every session and "you can't tell which one is their main ax". And he also inferred that when they were not recording soundtracks in the studios, they were (home) practicing their doubles.
For me, I practice my clarinets regularily, but if I have a gig coming up that requires the sax family or the flute, I dust off those cases as well. However, in previous years, I did spend a lot more time developing sax and flute jazz skills, so its not like playing those horns for the first time. But clarinet (A, Bb, Eb C & bass) is where my current main practice emphasis is.
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Author: Roger Aldridge
Date: 2004-03-29 15:51
I completely agree with those who practice their doubles every day so that it's hard to tell which instrument is your primary one. This is the ideal of being a good doubler.
Having a busy day job and a limited amount of practice time each day, I've chosen to cut back on the number of horns I have and focus on the ones that I use on a regular basis for gigs. I currently use clarinet, tenor sax, and c-melody most often. Thus, I normally practice clarinet every day and rotate my daily saxophone time between tenor and c-melody. I'm happier with this "less is more" approach to doubling than struggling to find the time to work with a closet full of additional horns.
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Author: allencole
Date: 2004-03-29 17:05
Every instrument has its problems, and you only get out of something what you put into it. If you do show work, expect clarinet and flute parts to be technically demanding--and prepare accordingly. Saxophone is more demanding in terms of sound and pitch--which means that you have to build the right muscles.
I primarily practice clarinet, but flute and sax warmups are a must even for a local-yokel like me.
I try to have a 10-15 minute routine to run on each instrument no matter how busy the day is. This keeps the rust off and gives me more options for more substantial practice.
If you're trying to freelance, always count on playing in the key and style--and on the instrument--that you're least ready for! My hat's off to guys like JJM...
Allen Cole
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