 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Robin
Date: 2000-11-13 12:15
After many years of stubbornly avoiding the tenor sax which my brother owns, I now need to learn it for teaching purposes. What I'm wondering is if anyone might be able to suggest an equivalent set up from my Clarinet set-up. On clarinet, I use a B45. mouthpiece with Vandoren 3 strength reeds - quite middle of the road. So what does that approximately convert to on tenor sax?
Any broad, encouraging tips for this trip back to basics would also be appreciated. Any tips on getting those low notes to speak well? You can probably tell I'm no bass clarinet player!
Robin
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-11-13 13:56
I will suggest the Larry Teal mouthpiece by Selmer. It is the old C* (round chamber) that Selmer used to make before making the S-80 C* (rectangular chamber). Use a 2.5 reed to start and see how it goes. As far as low notes go make sure there are no leaks in the lower stack pads. You also probably have a very LIGHT touch being a clarinet player. Don't be hesitant to use a little more pressure on the keys than you would on the clarinet. Remember, the pad is HUGE compared to a clarinet and the leather pads sometimes have deformities in them. Use a soft "middle" lower lip as you are descending to the low D and below....I would suggest sluring down to them from a second line G until you get the embouchre correct. Good luck....I had to do it the other way 'round (from sax to clarinet).
John
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Author: William
Date: 2000-11-13 14:30
As a clarinetist used to using a firm embouchure, the most profound adjustment you will need to in switching to saxophone is to relax your "lip grip"--almost to the point of using double-lip. It may help to think of blowing "warm air" from our mouth (form an "0" with your lips and gently blow warm air unto your hand) to help you make the necessary embouchure to allow the low notes to speak . They will probably come out too loud at first. Don't give up--you need to learn to balance embouchure support and air pressure to let them speak more softly (this is hard to do and that is why most elementary band arrangers will not write many notes for tenor sax below bottom line E). My advice is to learn to have fun with the higher range, which should play easily for you if your sax is in good adjustment. I started on clarinet and made to "switch" to alto sax almost instantly (as our high school jazz ensemble--then called a dance band--needed a sax player who could read music). Like learning to swim in freash water and then being thrown into the ocean. There are lots of similarities between clarinet and the other woodwinds, especially sax--you are lucky to have learned clarinet first. The switch to sax will just require a new, more relaxed concept of embouchure. Selmer mps are good (C*) and use a medium-soft reed (LaVoz #2-2.5 ok) After you have master the sax, how about oboe, flute, bassoon??????? Good luck.
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Author: drew
Date: 2000-11-13 22:48
I started this transition two months ago. I also play Eb soprano clainet; my embouchure can craks walnuts! Sax embouchure is different but approachable for a clarinetist.
Alto sax equipment is Yamaha 4C mouthpiece and Hemke 2.5 reeds; on the clarinet a refaced Selmer HS* mp & Zonda 3.5 reeds.
For sax low notes (2nd line G on down) my teacher recommended opening up the oral cavity as if you were saying the word "taaaw." This also causes lower jaw to drop. Pusing sax up relative to upper jaw causes same result. Takes some practice, but it works.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-11-14 01:53
For Sax reed, I definitely recommend Alexander Superiel.
No need to adjust them. Just wash them with flowing lukewarm water can make
them start blowing.
I agree that sax low tones are very difficult to emit in p or pp.
If you seek Jazz setting, Selmer's new mouthpiece called 'Super Session' is
recommended. Same round throat design as Larry Teal model. But I do not know whether this is availabel in U.S.
http://www.selmer.fr/html/french/bec/index.htm
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Author: Dave
Date: 2000-11-16 04:55
Not sure what a clarinetist would think but the original C* used for classical and widely regarded as the best classical piece is a bit too closed for tenor a D is more in order. Now alto that is a different story, the LT's are amazing it's the only piece I'd accept for classical. The lower notes are really hard to get the first few weeks or months of playing sax. You'll get these eventully. One of the things that you might need to do, is lay the heel of your toung as low down as possible and open your throat more. Sometimes it's a combination of opening one and closing the other, it's generally good to keep an open throat (as you do through the altissimo reigster) but sometimes you have to decrease the oral cavity to make the conical bore of the instrument more complete.
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