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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2004-04-30 01:41
Please tell me the fingering for high F on a clarinet with an articulated G#. I'm playing a show where I must slur from high F to E repeatedly and I fear that the articulated G# will not allow me to play the standard F. Please advise
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-04-30 02:08
The F standard fingering . . .
T RK | x 2 3 C# | x x x Eb
should work fine. And is a great way to go when slurring to E. The only really great fingering that it limits you on is the LONG F fingering.
T RK | 1 2 3 C# | 4 5 6
Which wouldn't be great for a slur to E anyway
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: ebasta
Date: 2004-04-30 12:37
what is an articulated g#? for that matter, what is an articulated lorry?
ed
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-05-01 11:57
An older style of clarinet, with an additional 'sliver key' in the middle of the clarinet designed to slow down faster players.
An articulate lorry is a barrister that drinks lunch.
(Or a loverly lass I knew back in my school daze...)
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2004-05-03 15:23
The articulated G# mechanism is similar to that used on the saxophone. It allows you to keep the G#/C# key depressed while playing notes lower on the horn. It facilitates arpeggi in extreme keys (three sharps/flats and higher), and also has an additional "trill" key (located between holes 1 and 2 on the lower joint) to facilitate trilling to G#/C#.
You do lose one or two fingerings in the altissimo range of the horn, but I find that the utility of the mechanism more than makes up for that. I hardly ever use the "sliver key" for trills, but the articulation of the G#/C# I use all of the time.
It's been available on some clarinets by itself, and on the "full Boehm" horn as part of three additional mechanisms (plus the low Eb key to duplicate the range of the A clarinet). Leblanc used to offer all of them in varying combinations, and Selmer offered them in two or three combinations, but I haven't seen a current catalog for either firm for a long time. (I've never seen a Buffet with anything more than an extra Eb lever for the right hand.)
Most who rail against it (and the other mechanisms) have spent little or no time using them. The usual arguments are "it's too heavy", "it's too hard to keep in regulation" and "It's too complicated". The weight difference between my "full Boehm" Selmer Series 9 and a "standard" Series 9 comes out to about an ounce and a half, small change for someone used to playing bass clarinets "off the hand" when in a hurry during a quick horn change. The hard to keep in regulation problem is one that I've never found to be an issue; there is one additional adjustment screw that holds its adjustment just fine. (One would wonder what most clarinet players would do if faced with the adjustments on your average oboe or flute...). As for being complicated, it is anything but. Same fingering (save those altissimo changes), same key location, everything else the same. And, you can ignore it if you like.
One real improvement that most don't point out is that the G#/C# tone hole is properly sized (and thus better voiced and in tune), located in the right place, and never fills with water (since it is on the top side of the horn).
I've played a "full Boehm" horn for well over thirty years, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Your mileage may vary, void where prohibited by law, etc.
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Author: allencole
Date: 2004-05-03 17:27
Touche! As classical players do their best to kill classical music, so do clarinet players work so hard to make clarinet a dead instrument. It's all in the attitude.
I can't think of how many times I would've killed for an articulated G# or a Bis key.
When a bari sax can play the arpeggios faster, it's definitely time to take another look at our keywork.
Allen Cole
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2004-05-03 20:47
The articulated G#/C# mechanism definitely improves the fingering and action of the clarinet. My Leblanc LL (which I have had for seven or eight years) has this mechanism and it has never needed adjustment. I've gotten to where I won't buy a new clarinet unless it has the articulated G#/C#. I also find the left hand Eb/Ab key very useful. I'm surprised that so few clarinetists use instruments with these features.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-05-04 21:22
TOUCHE # 3 or 4!! Terry, fine commentary to clear-out derogatory comments! My first good cl was a PM Full Boehm in the 1930's, so I found the good things early and now have 3 and some "lessers" with 2 or 3 of the 4 additions. Makes cl playing life more pleasant !. Back from granddaughter's wedding !! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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