 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: missclarinetist
Date: 2005-10-17 12:42
Hey y'all,
I am currently playing in college band. As an inexperienced band player, I was wondering what the seating arrangment was like apart from orchestra. In my band, we have 1st 2 flutes, and 1st 2 clarinets sit up front followed by 2nd clarinets in the second row and 3rd clarinets and Bass in 3rd row. Does the leader sits in front of the section on the left? I understand that with the orchestra the best players sit on the outer part towards the right. How does the ranking work for clarinets in a band setting?
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Author: archer1960
Date: 2005-10-17 14:08
In all bands I've been in, the clarinets were on the band's right (the director's left), in 3 rows (1st's, 2nd's and 3rd's) with the first chair of each section on the outside, closest to the audience. The low clarinets sat next to one of the Soprano rows, wherever there was room. The flutes were always the first row, right in front of the director, so the 1st clarinets were in the 2nd row of chairs. I suppose if there weren't many players, the 1st clarinets and the flutes could share a row...
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Author: Dori
Date: 2005-10-17 14:17
There is no standard answer. Not only does this vary from band to band, but in groups such as community bands it can change depending on how many players there are at the time. I started in a group with three rows of clarinets & the solo player in the outer chair to the right. As membership dropped, all the clarinets sat in the first row, the "strongest" 1st in the leftmost (is that a real word?) position next to the flutes, then 2nds & 3rds sitting to the right. So the leader has been on the extreme left and extreme right of the section depending on how it was being done at the time.
Sorry I can't give you a straight answer, but in my experience there just isn't one. I hope you are enjoying playing no matter where you are sitting.
Dori
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2005-10-17 14:58
There is only one answer to this question: At the conductor's discretion. However, in most military bands, the 1st and Eb clarinets, oboes and flutes sit in the first row. The principal clarinet is to the conductor's left, where the concertmaster of an orchestra would sit. I've had a few different setups, but this is the most common.
Christopher Nichols
1st Infantry Division Band
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-10-17 15:57
Chris N has said it well, its highly dependent on the experience [and other factors, such as hearing !!] of the conductor, possibly even the "Board". Our band's cls are in 3 rows , on the cond's left with the ?best? on the outside. I'm the bass and alto clist and have had many "musical chairs" generally near the tenor saxes, but not the bari !!, and close to the bassoons. Having played some in symp orchs, there is,
IMHO, real advantage in having the firsts of flute/oboe and cl/ bassoon close together. The entire band seating "structure" needs be considered and is subject to change, somewhat dependent on the music being played. Just observations and AM thots. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2005-10-17 19:41
My community band seating is as follows, from L to R (as seated in band):
1st Row: 2nd Cl, 2nd Cl, 3 1st clarinets (principal in the middle directly in front of director), soprano sax/oboe, 1st flute/pic, 2nd flutes.
2nd Row: 2nd Cl, 3rd Cl, 3rd Cl, 2 Bass Cl, 1-2 French Horns, 2-3 Bassoons, 2 Bari Sax, 2 Alto Sax
3rd Row: 3rd, 2nd, 2nd, 1st, 1st Trumpet, 3 Tubas, 1 Euphonium/Baritone, 2 Tenor Sax, 3 Trombone
Percussion in back, of course
The tenor saxes used to sit between the baris and altos but I think they either ran out of room or wanted to move back with the 'bones cuz it's more raucous back there.
From what I've read above, our setup seems backwards from everyone else's setup with our 1st part players sitting in the middle, staring right at the director. I don't know if this is his preference or the traditional band setup cuz the 1st clarinet has been there 40 years and the director has only been there for 10. I've only been there for 2.5 years.
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2005-10-17 22:12
As a sort of offshoot of this, has anyone ever played in an orchestra where the violas were reoriented so that their sound holes (the "f" shaped openings in the top of the instrument) were pointing towards the audience rather than away from it?
Changing this around might help the already pretty threadbare image of the mutt of the string family; it would be nice to be able to hear them on an equal footing for a change...
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2020-05-12 07:48
I have seen bands where the flutes occupy the first row and the first clarinets are in the second row. But most groups I've played in and seen go the more standard way-- first clarinets, oboes and (first) flutes in the first row (although Bass clarinets and bassoons may also be there). 2nd row is 2nd clarinets, maybe bass & alto clarinets, bassoons and 2nd flutes.
3rd row is 3rd clarinets (they may need a 4th row too), French Horns (straight in front of conductor) and on the right side the full sax section, from Bari up the line to the principal alto on the right end.
As a school conductor I preferred my principal clarinet at my left hand in the front row (thus all clarinets on my left), and all flutes thus on the right side for easier (clearer) cuing of both flutes and clarinets.
As a player I like sitting principal clarinet right under the conductor's nose for easy following-- unless logistics dictate he moves the podium forward a bit, creating some odd angles of sight, especially with a soloist sometimes between the conductor and myself. I have at times become a bit of a contortionist.
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Post Edited (2020-05-12 07:54)
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Author: ACCA
Date: 2020-05-12 11:57
If the flutes occupy the far left edge, they are "aimed" at the audience and are not so easily overpowered by the brass section. Same applies for clarinets when they are in the middle directly in front of the conductor. Yes, I know, conductors should balance things and quiet down the brass etc etc. but we all know how that can go in an amateur setting!
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Author: kdk
Date: 2020-05-12 17:10
ACCA wrote:
> If the flutes occupy the far left edge, they are "aimed" at the
> audience and are not so easily overpowered by the brass
> section.
I'm not sure how useful that is in practice. The sound, after all, doesn't come from the end of the flute any more than it comes from the bell of a clarinet. If anything, more of a flute's sound comes from the mouth hole, since it's exposed and not inside the player's mouth, as a clarinet reed is. So, I would think having the flutes on the conductor's right, so the head joints are closer to the audience, might be better. But in the end, overenthusiastic brass are going to overpower the flutes no matter what, at least if the flutes are playing below C6.
> Same applies for clarinets when they are in the
> middle directly in front of the conductor.
Although, in that position the conductor and his podium can themselves muffle clarinet projection, and in a conventional 'U' shape the clarinets are a little farther away from the audience. Again, I don't think it makes much difference to balance in practice. What makes an obvious difference is that the upper woodwinds need to be in front on the saxes and brass, which few band directors question.
> Yes, I know,
> conductors should balance things and quiet down the brass etc
> etc. but we all know how that can go in an amateur setting!
The arranger or composer also has a responsibility in this. Many times I've wondered what the composer was thinking when I look at a score or listen to the band I conduct play.
Karl
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2020-05-13 01:06
this is interesting what u all have shared here
I was wondering if it would work, just 2 have straight rows (about 7 rows) depending on the size of the group? From highest 2 lowest, respectively and the percussion in the back?
I've been studying that for years but I just want 2 know if it works or if any 1 has experienced this?
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mbtldsongministry/
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