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Alto clarinet playing technique

Author: contragirl
Date: 2003-03-03 20:13

This is weird, but I found I have a better tone on alto clarinet when I use a bit of a vibrato on the upper registers. Like, not a crazy vibrato like a flute player or anything, but playing along with alto saxes that use it, I kind of fit in a little better.

Is this a bad technique, or is it ok? Does anyone else play with some vibrato on alto?

Thanks,
Contragirl

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Re: Alto clarinet playing technique

Author: ron b
Date: 2003-03-03 21:06

Hi, Contragirl

Nothing seems wierd about your observation to me. I use vibrato all the time - especially when there's a sax in the crowd. Otherwise we clash :(
To me, vibrato blends well with saxes and strings as long as it's not overdone.
I play bass and alto and agree with you that any vibrato sounds better, at least to me, in the lower registers of both of them. I use it sparingly, if at all, in the upper regions of the soprano clarinet.

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Re: Alto clarinet playing technique

Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-03-03 21:10

Well said, CG, I agree. A frequent complaint re: Alto cl sound is, its uninteresting, but, like with the better [torch?] singers, a modest vibrato after a moment or so of "flat tone" is GREAT, IMHO. I use little or no vib on bass cl, even on a 16 bar solo of "Blues in Bb" in a piece named "Hi Hat" [just a schmerando or so, tho] for our comm band. I just tone-down my alto sax vib!! Don

Thanx, Mark, Don

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