 The Doublers BBoard
|
Author: uofdoboe
Date: 2009-02-09 19:08
Have lurked on here for a while. Have long thought about trying my hand in the musical pit but have sort of a weird pedigree for that. I'm 26 years old... 16 years piano, 15 years on oboe/EH, 3 years bassoon, 3 highland bagpipes ("Brigadoon" needs bagpipes, doesn't it?)
Seems like in the doubling world, the double reed instruments are sort of an icing-on-the-cake position. Most players have backgrounds in flute/clarinet/sax. While I know that many musicals have dedicated oboe/EH books, the greater number also require the more usual instruments.
Any advice on where to go next if I wanted to get my feet wet in the reed doubler world? I'm all for adding instruments over time, but I'd be very nervous jumping into a pit with so little clar/sax experience when it seems those are where you need to be strongest. Any advice on what to learn next (clar, alto, tenor, flute)? Advice on gaging when I'm sufficiently proficient on a new instrument or if I'm ready to try my hand in the pit?
Post Edited (2009-02-09 19:19)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jaysne
Date: 2009-02-09 19:47
You're sittin' in the catbird seat! (Trans: you've got it made).
You will find that your oboe fingering knowledge translates very quickly and easily to saxophone, clarinet, and flute. You just need to get the horns and maybe a few lessons with a teacher for embouchure training.
But it's much easier to go from double reeds to single than vice versa. Above all else, listen to good players of these instruments so you get an idea of what you want to sound like. Practice every day and you'll be fine.
I'd start with alto sax, then clarinet, then flute. That's what I did and I've been playing in the pits for 30 years. When will you know you're ready? You'll know (or you'll be ready when someone wants to hire you!).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2009-02-09 22:49
Subbing tenor sax for alto would be a smart move, as the double reed books are usually in the middle of the lineup. Particularly with oboe English horn skills, you'll most likely be on a Reed III book, with the tenor being the horn of choice.
The tenor will cost you more, even for the most basement dwelling of student horns. But, at least the fingering skills will transfer readily.
If bassoon floats your boat, then most often you will find it paired with baritone sax and bass clarinet on the Reed IV or V books. Occasionally with some of the older shows from the 1940's and the 1950's, you will find an exclusive oboe English horn or bassoon book.
I'd also take issue with the statement that it's easy to shift to clarinet from a double reed. Since the clarinets overblow at the twelfth rather than the octave, some players have a lot of trouble with the conversion.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: alpharettablue
Date: 2009-02-10 00:18
My high school is putting on Guys and Dolls. We have lots of strong clarinets, but none of the alto saxes are trying out to play pit.
I own an alto sax. Should I offer to play alto? I haven't played it much, so I'm worried about getting in over my head.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jaysne
Date: 2009-02-10 02:21
Alpharettablue,
You should ask the conductor if you can look at the music first so you can know if it's out of your league. I've played the lead alto book for Guys & Dolls a zillion times, and while it's not terribly demanding technically, you need to have a good concept of how to play big-band lead alto.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2009-02-10 13:50
If you've got fifteen years of oboe under your belt, get an English horn, tenor and clarinet.
Learn to play some flute as well. The better that is, the more you'll work.
However, ob/EH/cl/ts is the most common double reed book out there.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2009-02-13 00:47
And, the important thing is to start somewhere. Not starting means that you are guaranteed not to finish.
There is a relatively light amount of sax playing in Guys and Dolls, and the style is not that hard to pick up, save only the latin number in the middle. There are also some prominent oboe and English horn parts within the score. It's a middling complexity part, nothing to be scared of but something that will require a little practice.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
