 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Scott Nicholson
Date: 1999-10-09 17:54
I've played the tenor sax for 18 years, and I've decided to start playing the clarinet. I'm doing pretty good with it. I had two questions in particular.
I find that I get good tone when I hold it pointing down, but I find myself raising up (ala Benny Goodman) in order to make the mouthpiece feel more like a sax mouthpiece. Is there any reason I should keep it pointing down or up? Or is this an issue of personal preference.
I'm having a hard time adjusting to the fingerings in the upper register. Any advice from those of you who went from sax to clarinet? Any tips or tricks that will make the transition easier?
Scott
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-10-09 20:54
The clarinet needs to be pointing down as the embouchure will be incorrect and the horn won't sound good. Do NOT expect it to feel like a saxophone in your mouth.
The other thing is practice, practice, practice. Since clarinets normally have open tone holes, it takes a lot of slow drills to get the fingers used to covering the holes completely and accurately.
Which register are you referring to when you say upper. If you mean notes above the 2nd ledger line, again it takes practice and embouchure development. Master the notes below that first.
I would suggest taking lessons for a while with a true clarinet teacher to get the hang of things.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 1999-10-09 22:15
Dee's advice is right on target! Its more difficult to go from sax to clar than vice versa, IMHO, so my advice to beginners is to start on cl and "graduate" to the "desired" alto or tenor in a year or so. It does take work and devotion to play anything WELL. Don
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Author: HIROSHI
Date: 1999-10-10 15:26
I started flute,then clarinet at my boyhood, and quite recently tryed alto and soprano sazes.
Ther reason why clarinet needs pointing down seems the obvious difference of Tenor's neck pointing horizontal and the lower lip slided forward.
If you have a difficulty to emit 3rd register D or above, it might be lessened by putting the left hand pointing finger to open half tone hole when emitting 3d D. You can read discussions in the Archive by 'half tone hole technique'. In case of saxophones there are two register keys automatically working. They may be solving these problems.
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-10-11 01:40
Tranferring your skills to the clarinet from the sax will be a challenge, but it's doable. My tutor plays the clarinet as his first instrument, but he doubles on any available sax when necessary. He claims that since the clarinet is basically a straight bored instrument and the sax is basically a gradually opening cylindrical shape (note generalities here for comparison sake only), the sax is in his opinion easier to play than the clarinet. You have to make so many adjustments to the embouchure on the clarinet that you may not have to make on the sax. Also, the open tone holes do pose problems for folks switching from the sax to the clarinet.
If you are going to fetch lessons from a pro, get lessons from a pro who plays the clarinet as his or her first horn. You will get the clarinet perspective better from someone who knows it intimately well. Or so that's what I've heard.
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Author: Ray Swing
Date: 1999-10-11 03:11
I play both the Clarinet (my 1st instrument) and Alto sax. The clarinet demands an excellent embouchure at all times. The Alto is a less demanding embouchure and is somewhat "Looser".
You can raise the clarinet and play like Goodman or Shaw at times for effect, but you must as they did, maintain the correct embouchure. This basically requires leaning the head back in some manner.
For a good explanation of the clarinet embouchure, refer to Bonade's "Clarinetist's Compendium" (cost about $3.00).
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Author: paul
Date: 1999-10-13 01:42
Gotta ask the question. Every time I ask for a copy of this book, the local store says it's already sold out and they don't have a clue as to when they will get more. So, where is a place that I can mail order this book and basically guarantee that it will be available for me when I "get there"?
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Author: Ray Swing
Date: 1999-10-13 15:01
To get my "Bonade", my local music store just ordered it from their supplier and 3 days later they had it in the store for me. If you continue to have problems, try the publisher:
G. Leblanc Corporation
7001 Leblanc Boulevard
P.O. Box 1415
Kenosha, WI 53141-1415
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-10-14 00:35
paul wrote:
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Gotta ask the question. Every time I ask for a copy of this book, the local store says it's already sold out and they don't have a clue as to when they will get more. So, where is a place that I can mail order this book and basically guarantee that it will be available for me when I "get there"?
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That store is just being lazy. They could special order a copy for you and reserve it in your name (some stores may require you to pay in advance). The local music stores I deal with will order just about anything and you pay when you pick it up.
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The Clarinet Pages
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