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 Clarinets in the key of A and C
Author: blogan 
Date:   2011-08-20 11:09

If I am not planning to use these clarinets professionally but only for my own home use are these keys workable? I am actually a guitar player and just want to use the clarinets for home recording. I could learn my way around them in those keys and use them for some ensemble playing possibly?

They are old and would probably have a great tone.

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 Re: Clarinets in the key of A and C
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2011-08-20 14:03

The A will be useful for playing in sharp keys, so well suited to playing in keys of D and A Major, E and B Major and minor and F# and C# minor.

The C clarinet will be useful when playing from concert pitch flute, oboe, violin, piano and vocal sheet music without having to transpose.

So yes, they're ideal for what you want them for.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: Clarinets in the key of A and C
Author: concertmaster3 
Date:   2011-08-20 16:39

As long as you're not looking to play regular clarinet parts in bands (symphonic, wind ensembles, etc), you should be fine. If you are looking to eventually play in some kind of band, you'll want to get a Bb clarinet, unless they need you to cover oboe parts or some other C instrument, then the C will be quite useful!

Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com

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 Re: Clarinets in the key of A and C
Author: clariniano 
Date:   2011-08-20 21:55

I use my A pretty regularly since I got one for my birthday a few years ago, especially with my husband's arrangements of various pieces, which are often in sharp keys, plus there's some nice solo pieces that call for the A clarinet, especially Schumann 2nd and 3rd Fantasy Pieces. And there's some woodwind quintet repertoire that calls for it too, including the Nielsen Wind Quintet and two of the Danzi ones.

Would love to get a C clarinet, to be able to play say, Kuhlau flute sonatas and oboe pieces, some violin works too. And be able to read straight off the hymnal if for some reason my husband forgot to write out a hymn and only has enough time to copy it a few minutes before the service. (It happened the last service I played at, because one of the hymns was changed last minute.)

Meri

Please check out my website at: http://donmillsmusicstudio.weebly.com and my blog at: http://clariniano.wordpress.com

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 Re: Clarinets in the key of A and C
Author: Tom H 
Date:   2011-08-22 22:19

I've used my C occasionally over the years. Great for playing piano parts, with flutes, guitars, etc. with the concert pitch. Or occasionally in the orchestra when C parts pop up. Mine has a very bright sound, almost trumpet-like. But watch those throat tones--way out of tune. Probably due to fact that you use a normal mouthpiece (one for Bb or A clarinets), thus the smaller C clarinet needs a real tiny barrel to make up the difference.--Unlike the smaller Eb clarinet, which has a smaller everything, including mouthpiece.

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