 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: BassClarinetGirl
Date: 2004-12-06 22:48
Hello All!
I am proud to announce that today marks the first time I have EVER played an alto clarinet. I saw some really cool solos when I was digging though the Bass/Alto/Contrabass solo folder (at my high school) for the Eb Alto, which led me to ask my band director if we even HAD an alto clarinet. She said there was one on the shelves. So I went in after school today, and lo and behold, sitting on the highest shelf of the clarinet/flute cabinet, there was a beautiful little alto clarinet! I have been playing the bass clarinet for 3 years, and even though I love it, I am always wanting to mix it up a little.
But, to the point. I played it for a while after school, and convinced my director to let my take it and some of the solos home to play though. The clarinet has an awesome sound to it- not that I have much to compare it too, but I actually got it in tune) and it is extremely responsive and easy to play. When I asked her what type of reeds I SHOULD be using on it, she wasn't really sure. In the case there was 6 reeds, which I sterilized to use. In there was 5 LaVoz Medium Soft's (one of which I threw out due to chipping) and one Rico Royal #2 (which I threw because she said it was way too soft).
So now I will pose the question to all the clarinet experts out there- If I choose to continue on with this alto clarinet (which is probable- my director said if there is any alto clarinet pieces with our band music this year, I can have them) what hardness and type reeds do you prefer and why?
I currently play my soprano clarinet with LaVoz Medium Hard reeds and my bass clarinet with LaVoz Mediums- and switching to Vandoreen #3s.
By the Way- the instrument is a Vito, and says Reso-Tone underneath the emblem on the top of the horn.
Thanks alot!
Becca
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-12-06 23:18
Congrats, welcome to US nerds, who have the courage to go against the flow and find the good things passed by by others. The A Cl is generally considered an ugly stepchild [its in Eb {strike one !}] is soft in volume, and diff from sop cl, somewhat sim to bass. Your Vito is [I hope] a plateau [covered tone hole] cl, I like an open lay mp with soft to med LaVoz Alto Sax reeds, very little different from alto cl reeds, often hard to find. Often in concert band, all that you will have to play will be 2nd alto sax, but when you have an A CL part, you will be surprised [like with Bass cl parts] that you have something important to add to the chording. In my experience, its best use is in cl choir, where you get transposed viola parts of consequence. Have lots of fun, its worthwhile. Comments, please, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BassClarinetGirl
Date: 2004-12-06 23:53
Thanks! This is the 5th instrument that I play- with other various clarinets, saxophones, and piano (any I whip out the little recorder when I get bored-does he count?). I really hope my director has some Alto pieces this year, but I'll still be playing my bass on anything that doesn't have one (we have 6 alto saxes already). I won't feel bad playing the alto this year though, as there are (gasp!) TWO bass clarinet players in concert band. I like your comment about the "nerds" who go against the flow- I still can't believe how many people look at the bass clarinet as an instrument that bad clarinet players play! I would play first part soprano cl, and got a superior at contest last year, but evidently some people think I "can't cut it" in band. Oh well.
Just a quick edit to my original post- I was thinking about organizing a clarinet chior or quartet- with the girls we have playing cl in my school, we could have a bass clarinet (or 2), an alto, and at least 2-3 sopranos, if not more. I think it would be fun, maybe we could get some extra credit out of it too, convice our director to let us play in the variety show, or at concerts like the drum line does.
Thanks alot for your advice!
Becca
BCG
Post Edited (2004-12-07 00:14)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: larryb
Date: 2004-12-07 01:36
For what it's worth, I play Vandoren 2.5 reeds with a Vandoren 5RV mouthpiece on my alto-like basset horn (basically an alto clarinet in F with some lower notes). Works quite well for me.
I don't have much trouble finding alto clarinet reeds where I live, but I hear you can substitute alto sax reeds with no problem.
If you get serious about the alto, consider getting a basset horn - that way you can play all alto parts (transposing) as well as all the great basset horn music. There's some basset horn music that can't be played on the alto because of the lower range.
Enjoy!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-12-07 15:07
I begin every instrument with Vandoren reeds and seldom go further. I think alto sax reeds are the same size, so if a store is out of alto clarinet reeds you can try the sax reeds.
All reeds larger than soprano clarinet tend to warp with a bulge down the middle of the bottom. I think it's because the bark on top prevents expansion there, so the only place for it is on the bottom. At any rate, the warping has to be removed to produce a good seal. Even if you screw the ligature down really tight, it isn't secure, aside from distorting the cane and forcing an impression of the mouthpiece window to form on the bottom of the reed.
Put a piece of 400 grit wet-or-dry (black grit) sandpaper on a flat surface (preferably glass), put three fingers on just the bark, press fairly hard and polish the bottom until it's shiny almost all over. Then put a finger on the vamp as well as the bark and keep going until everything is shiny.
This reduces the strength of the reed. Therefore, I begin with #5 reeds, which come out fine once I go through several cycles of sanding, soaking and sanding again.
I also use the sandpaper to make all my reeds slightly (maybe .03 mm) narrower than the mouthpiece rails (being careful not to leave any opening at the corners of the tip). Jogging the reed back and forth within this leeway can make a dramatic improvement in response.
A well-played alto clarinet is wonderful. Other people can call you a nerd, but you have the last and best laugh.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BassClarinetGirl
Date: 2004-12-07 21:27
Thanks everyone for their help!
I'm just starting to use sandpaper on all my reeds, because ever since I started participating in clarinet discussions, thats what everyone seems to suggest.
We just got our concert band music today- and out of the three pieces, there are 2 alto clarinet parts! Even though we're just sightreeding to see if we want to play them for contest, I'm really excited to try them (i just played through them on bass clarinet today- in the wrong key, i know, but it was just sightreading- it seems that they are pretty much a combination of the alto sax part and the bass clarinet part. The one's we got today are Roy Ross, Festive something, and i cant remember the 3rd piece. But those aren't final, we'll probably sightread at least 10 pieces before we pick one. Roy Ross seems like a winner though, it's 4 pages and I like the part.
Have a great day!
Becca
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
