 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Carol
Date: 2000-05-15 03:17
I wanted to teach my kids clarinet, which I played many years ago in school. I priced new clarinets and found a nice one which made a good sound, so I purchased it.
I did not realized until I got home that I purchased an alto clarinet. (The card just said clarinet). I played a
b flat, and all my music books are for b flat. Personally, I can't tell the difference (am I tone deaf?)
What is the difference between the b flat and the alto?
Should I stick with the alto or return it? Can my kids use my B flat books or will I need to buy new books? How will they do if they later join a band?
I really need someone's advice who is more knowledgeable than me on this subject. THANKS FOR ANY ADVICE YOU CAN OFFER!!!!
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Author: Michael Kincaid
Date: 2000-05-15 03:36
Carol wrote:
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I wanted to teach my kids clarinet, which I played many years ago in school. I priced new clarinets and found a nice one which made a good sound, so I purchased it.
I did not realized until I got home that I purchased an alto clarinet. (The card just said clarinet). I played a
b flat, and all my music books are for b flat. Personally, I can't tell the difference (am I tone deaf?) ...
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Hi Carol, are you sure you bought an alto by mistake? The alto looks very different that the "regular" Bb clarinet. I recently started practicing on an alto clarinet and it would be hard to mix them up. You probably should take it back and get a Bb instrument. Good luck. Michael
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Author: ron b.
Date: 2000-05-15 04:03
Michael is correct, Carol. Alto clarinets are quite different than 'regular' Bb horns. They're much larger and have a metal bell and barrel and the tone holes are all 'closed', like saxophones.
It would be helpful if you could give a little more detail about the instrument. Do you have a piano or some other instrument to compare/tune the clarinet to?
Music (method?) books at this point will make little difference since all Boehm system horns basically finger the same.
ron b.
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Author: Eoin
Date: 2000-05-15 07:43
A B flat clarinet is straight and about two feet long. An alto clarinet is much bigger and is curved so that it looks like a saxophone. The flared bit at the end, which is called the bell, turns upwards. The alto also costs about four times as much as the B flat.
Another sort of clarinet is the A clarinet, which looks exactly the same as a B flat clarinet but is very slightly longer. It is also considerably more expensive than the B flat because of its rarity.
If you have either an A clarinet or an Alto, you should bring it back and get a B flat. While both instruments are worth learning, any beginner should start on the B flat instrument.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-05-15 15:00
Carol - The above advice is all correct, I have and play all of these clars. Did you call it an alto because somewhere on it, it says A ? as my Kohlert A cl does ?? If it is an A, and you dont have a lot in it, you could list in Sneezy's classifieds or possibly put it up for auction on EBAY [you would need some skilled help for EBAY!] Luck, Don
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Author: Mike Irish
Date: 2000-05-15 18:16
I might be inclined to go ahead and keep it if you got it for a good price and also get a Bb.... but then again, if Money is an issue, you may be better off trading it.... you might even take it to a different dealer, who may trade straight across or at a better price.... I would recommend a Bb to start with... and switch or double later.... look around.... you may find another good deal...
good luck... Mike
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Author: Al
Date: 2000-05-15 20:52
Carol,
In order to be sure you have an "A" clarinet,you can test it by playing a "C" on the instrument.(see below)
Check it against sound source that you're certain is in tune such as an "A" tuning fork, a good pitch pipe, or a piano you're CERTAIN is in tune. (So many pianos have slipped a semitone, you're better off not using one.)
Play a "C" on the clarinet.
If the note which emerges from the clarinet corresponds to the "A" of your sound source, you know you have a clarinet in"A".
Don't trade or sell until you know what your dealing with. If you're not confident with your own ear, ask a musician to help you. In fact, the best thing to do is take it to a competent clarinetist. He/she will know immediately what you have. (A good, experienced clarinetist can tell an "A" clarinet fron a "Bb" clarinet just by feeling the instrument's keys.)
Good Luck,
AL
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