 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Klarinet Kid
Date: 2012-01-24 03:25
Hi,
I heard about the eb clarinet and have been fascinated ever since.
I am not a bad clarinetist, and have been playing for a while.
How difficult would it be to learn to play an eb? What kind of opportunities would there be play it?
Should I make an effort to get a decent one or would a cheapie be fine?
Thankyou
:)
Post Edited (2012-01-25 08:08)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2012-01-24 05:09
I'm a current Eb player myself and couldn't have any more fun than I am playing it. There are some great opportunities, especially in the orchestra that call for Eb. Wind band you get to add sparkle and colour to the upper woodwinds, and there are some great solos coming out in wind band compositions recently. It's not a whole lot different from Bb other than you are most likely going to play very high much of the time. That's why the instrument was invented, to play high. So you have to be very focused on you upper register. And, it will definitely help your upper register playing on Bb, enormously. Now tuning is the mark of the beast. You must play the Eb clarinet by ear, meaning that you have to pay special attention to blending and tuning to the other instruments, since the partials are so much closer together since it's a higher pitch frequency instrument. It is mandatory, I wouldn't even call it essential, MANDATORY to get a good mouthpiece, Vandoren B44's are good for budget, but you have to find a good one. (I personally use a Gregory Smith Eb mouthpiece and it's fantastic!, but they're pricey - $300) As far as instruments go, I personally use a 1981 R13 that is fantastic. For a good beginner Eb player I've heard/read some good things about the Bundy's. I've never played on one. I started on a Noblet, heard fantastic things about those as well. If you have the money, I can never detest a good professional Eb by any of the big 3. I've heard especially good things about the new Yamaha Eb clarinets. 'Specially with tuning which is the number 1 thing to pay attention to. Once you play it and think you're gonna like it, it is definitely essential to get the Peter Hadcock Eb Clarinet book that has all the major orchestral excerpts through Shostakovich's time in there. It also throws in special instructions that help the player as well as a fingering chart for selected passages, that can help with playing the upper register in general. I've been playing Eb clarinet for about 4+ years and I have to say that I enjoy it more than playing Bb/A or bass. I hope this information helps. I know others will contribute with their ideas and suggestions and will be of great help to you as well. Please don't hesitate to ask more questions. We are here to help you! Have fun!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Klarnetisto
Date: 2012-01-24 15:15
The Eb soprano has always been a personal favorite of mine. I played it for three years in a row in summer school bands while I was in high school. When I came back to the clarinet years later, I found a variety of ways to use it in an international folkdance band.
The Ebs main use is in wind bands; most all such scores will have a part for it. Less imaginative composers & arrangers treat the Eb like a transposing flute, but the more insightful, e.g. Percy Grainger, understand the instrument's special potentials (not just a powerful high range, but a rich and beautiful low range).
Warning: some band directors are allergic to the Eb, fearing that it can only be out of tune, and actually refuse to use it in their bands. The school-owned instrument I used in summer school was indeed horribly out of tune, which forced me to learn how to compensate and tune every note while playing (it took about two weeks each summer, at the end of which my director would look at me in amazement and say "you're in tune!" Fortunately, the Eb I own now has excellent intonation).
So, if you want to play Eb, be sure it's well in tune, and learn to play it even more so! Perhaps you can convince a reluctant band director of it value!
As to orchestras, the Eb has a definite but lesser role. Probably the first prominent part it has in the history of orchestral music is the last movement of Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique, featuring a prominent solo. It (or its rarer sibling, the D clarinet) is often used by Richard Strauss, also Gustav Mahler. It is also featured in a number of Edgard Varèse's works (Amériques, Arcana, Intégrales, Octandre), though these may not come up in the repertory of the typical community orchestra...!
However, orchestral Eb players pretty much always double on the standard Bb and A clarinets; I've never heard of an orchestral clarinetist who only played the Eb.
Klarnetisto
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: davyd
Date: 2012-01-24 19:52
Being able to play Eb clarinet well somewhat increase opportunities for orchestra playing, at least at the amateur level, so it's a good "double" to have. I hope you like the 'Candide' overture; that's usually the piece that needs an eefer.
The allergy to the Eb clarinet is not limited to conductors; composers and arrangers have it too. As a concert band librarian, I've observed that at least 65% of the new (within the last 10 years) pieces we get, whether compositions or arrangements/transcriptions, don't have a part for Eb clarinet. Fortunately (at least from this perspective) we don't have one in this particular band. As time permits, I transpose the oboe part(s) for Eb clarinet, so if we got one, he/she would have something to play that's in the right octave (unlike an alto sax part) but stays out of the difficult high register.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-01-24 21:41
In orchesstra life the assistant- assolciate player or the second player usually plays Eb clarinet. There simply is not enough rep. to hire someone that only plays the Eb which is really referred to as the piccolo clarinet, not a soprano clarinet. That would be the Bb, A or even C clarinet. Piccolo meaning small. The main problem with the Eb clarinet in intonation, it is more difficult to play in tune so you have to play it "by ear" and be more flexible than the Bb-A. It does require a good, well in tune instrument to play it well. In the orchestra it is usually exposed or playing in unisions with the flutes or piccolo so you really need to have good intonation. There are many very technicial parts as well, lots of fast notes. It is a very demanding instrumet to play WELL in an orchestra. When I went to school I bought a Buffet, after buying a lesser brand and regreted it. I did the same thing with a bass clarinet and regretted that too so I traded it in for a Selmer, never regreted either one. The problem most people have at first is getting used to the small keys, just practise scales for a few week. Remember, you play the Eb clarinet by ear, and voicing. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-01-24 22:51
I got to play this wonderful instrument on limited occcasions with the Air Force Band. I tried both, the Buffet and the Selmer. By far the Selmer was really good. I also liked the Mitchell Lurie mouthpiece; not sure if the ML MP is available since Mitchell pssed on.
Playing in tune is hard at first, perhaps all of the time, depending on the horn and how much effort is put forth. Even players with great ears for pitch may struggle at first.
I also was the person at Rico that made the Eb reeds. Simply said, with the right setup, regarding the horn, reeds, and mouthpiece, I had a blast playing it. It was really a lot of fun. I played it pretty much everyday!
One of these days I'll pick up another one.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Klarnetisto
Date: 2012-01-25 01:55
Davy D, do you find that the Eb alto clarinet is being omitted as well by current composers & arrangers for band?
Klarnetisto
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: davyd
Date: 2012-01-25 03:21
Klarnetisto, you're right; the alto clarinet is also missing from many contemporary pieces; I'd say about half of them. (at least that's my experience). Further, since alto clarinet and alto saxophone have the same transposition, the alto clarinet can play an alto sax part if nothing else is available, so the lack of a genuine part is less of an immediate problem. During the brief time that my band had an alto clarinet, I transposed a couple of bass clarinet parts for it, adjusting for the octave where necessary.
I don't know why contemporary composers and arrangers omit the alto clarinet. Bands are not likely to have the instrument, so any important passages need to be cued or doubled. But the alto instrument, at least a reasonably good one, doesn't have the intonation issues of the little one.
Parts for contra-alto and contrabass clarinets have never been prevalent, at least not that I've noticed. One or the other shows up about 5% of the time, maybe 10% if you don't include marches.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lam
Date: 2012-01-25 06:44
Hello, does anyone of you have experience of the Yamaha 881 e-flat, is the intonation good ? Thanks !
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Klarinet Kid
Date: 2012-01-25 07:36
Thankyou so much guys, you have all been a great help, what do you think would be the cheapest acceptable eb? As money is a problem.
:)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2012-01-26 01:14
A good used Selmer. Bring your ears and a tuner. Horns vary a lot regarding tuning. Maybe even mess a bit with barrels when trying to get a good playing horn.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2012-01-26 01:16)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: DAVE
Date: 2012-01-26 03:45
Lam,
The 881 is a great instrument. Tuning is great and the tone and response is VERY even. I sold my Buffet Prestige in favor of the Yamaha. It won't be everyone's choice, but IMO it is just easier to play. I've owned many Eb clarinets and played them all professionally. I have played my Yamaha for the past few years and couldn't be happier with it.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Klarnetisto
Date: 2012-01-26 16:20
My Eb is believe it or not a US military model metal Cundy-Bettoney. These show up in online auctions fairly regularly and can be had for less than horrendous amounts of money, though they will normally need renovation (cleaning, repadding and adjustment).
I bought mine at a now-defunct instrument shop in Salem, Oregon about 20 years ago, already fully restored. The tone and intonation and superb. It came with a Vandoren mouthpiece, which works well on it.
Of course, if you're afraid of being ridiculed for having such a funny-looking clarinet (!), you can always play it safe and buy a wooden one. But I'd still say to take David Pino's advice and buy a used professional-quality clarinet rather than a new student-model one.
Klarnetisto
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
