 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Ajay
Date: 2007-05-30 13:57
I have been asked to play Dixieland jazz in a 'band' comprising of only me on clarinet, and someone playing trumpet. Has anyone got any ideas as to good songs to play, that are well suited to arrangement for two people?
Also, does anyone have any advice on how to arrange the tunes? Should one of us play a bass line, while the other plays the melody?
Thanks for the help
.
Post Edited (2007-06-01 00:00)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-05-30 14:36
Hmmm . . . . I'd say trumpet melody, while you play bass line (feel free to play a few fills during the bass line). Then trumpet solo while you play bass, then switch parts, then go ahead and play around while the trumpet plays the melody (no bass line) as you play the melody one last time.
That's how I'd like to hear it if that's all I had to work with.
Alexi
But it sure would be nice to have some sort of bass line or chords in the background like a banjo, tuba, trombone, etc.
US Army Japan Band
Post Edited (2007-05-30 14:38)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-05-31 06:52
What I would do, because you are only trumpet and clarinet, is to do as varied arrangments as possible. This means, have different ideas in differen tunes. Alexi's suggestion works, but if all tunes will be arranged this way it would not be interesting for very long.
Tradtionally the trumpet would play the melody and the clarinet would improvise. That's one option. You can reverse that. You can have the clarinet play some sort of bass line. You can both improvise together. You can write counterlines. You can totally change the harmony or have one instrument some sort of pedal part. I'm just giving some examples. You can also do a million more things.
What I would do in general is arrange all of it in a way to keep it interesting throughout the entire concert, considering the specific tunes you play, the order of the tunes, etc.
Like Alexi said, it might be nice to have a bass line or chords in the background, but it is definitely possible to do very good things without it. I have a couple of CDs of woodwind duo that are not boring at all and I never think there is an instrument missing. I even have a saxophone solo CD that I can listen to (and I don't even like saxophone that much!).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: sfalexi
Date: 2007-05-31 07:08
Quote:
Alexi's suggestion works, but if all tunes will be arranged this way it would not be interesting for very long. Yeah. I was thinking that too. Definitely would get boring if that's the format for EVERY tune. I have an MP3 of the Air Force Dixieland band playing, and they have everyone else drop out and just the clarinet and trumpet playing over each other for a while (mostly the trumpet playing the melody and the clarinet improvising over it). Sounds very nice.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Olorin
Date: 2007-05-31 17:29
check out this book of duets, 'bop duets' for some ideas, which is an amazing find. at the end of the line, you could just read out of the book, improving a little, since both instruments are in Bb. i made a living busking from that book all summer with a fellow clarinetist!
cheers,
erin
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ajay
Date: 2007-05-31 23:53
We had a practice today. We are doing 'Ain't misbehavin'. By the end of the practice it was sounding quite nice. When I got home I recorded my half, using the microphone built in to our fairly old laptop. There are some quite long spaces which are usually filled by the other part, and I think a few of the notes are a bit wrong, but here it is;
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=508607
(This is my brother’s account. My recording is at the top)
Hopefully seeing as I'm on exam leave we should be able to get a lot more practice in. Our first performance will be to accompany a procession of other school children around a race track. I really hope we don’t have to lead the parade as some kind of comedy duo, but it should be a fun day in any case. When this song is finished I will try and record it in full so you can see how your tips have helped.
Thanks
Post Edited (2007-05-31 23:56)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
