 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: klarenet
Date: 2007-08-30 23:02
I'm currently playing the alto clarinet part for Copland's Emblems. I'm having a lot of issues with intonation and fuzzy notes and was wondering if anybody had insightful tips for how to handle this lovely instrument. Thanks in advance!
Karen
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-08-30 23:07
I know this isn't helpful, but I can't help myself:
Transpose the part to Bb bass and burn the alto clarinet. It will play wonderfully then.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-08-30 23:12
Ok.
Now that I've stopped laughing.
Intonation is one of the primary reasons that the Alto clarinet is not long for this world.
Fuzzy notes, however, could be the fact that the key work is out of regulation. If the lever or key-cap doesn't rise enough to let the note vent properly then this could be the reason that you have fuzzy or resistant notes.
OR, it could just be the instrument.
Is this your horn? You write as if it may have been provided to you...if so, you could enquire when it was last in to the shop to be regulated.
I'm certain others will have some good advice as well!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: klarenet
Date: 2007-08-30 23:14
Ha, I like that idea a lot, but I think I'm going to be stuck playing the alto. Plus the part would go to a high A on bass. :/
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Author: klarenet
Date: 2007-08-30 23:16
It's the school's instrument, but I just got it back from the shop yesterday. It had 10 pads replaced, the register key re-aligned and a crack pinned, and it sounds pretty much the same. The very low notes are clear, but around low A up to just-over-the-break C is very fuzzy, and then it clears up again.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-08-30 23:27
Sounds familiar. Did so on mine until I used (home made) tapered pads for the hummy/buzzy/rushing keys. The worst notes are the "long" B/C just above the break, the rest sounds as good as can with a player like me.
(I disagree re the intonation prejudice, though. Darth Tone (a Bundy) has a fine sound, and David Spiegelthal did a wonderful job with its mouthpiece)
--
Ben
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Author: blazian
Date: 2007-08-31 01:55
I had problems like that with my new old (just bought it, hence "new") wooden Conn alto clarinet. I fixed it by raising some keys, specifically LH 1 and 3 (it's a open hole alto). Another problem was that the tone hole directly above RH 1 wasn't covering completely. Otherwise, my alto clarinet sounds like a mini bass clarinet, so IN YOUR FACE(S)! (I'm still a teenager so I CAN be immature.)
btw, I have a HUGE crack (and not just surface either. you can look down the bore and see it) going from the neck hole to below the thumb hole, and it doesn't change anything.
- Martin
Post Edited (2008-12-17 22:13)
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-08-31 10:21
Blazian,
I'm an adult, and I can still be immature sometimes.
If you have, not a crack, but a gash in the side of your clarinet, and you believe it doesn't make any difference...
...I can gaurantee you it doesn't sound like any bass clarinet that I know of.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2007-08-31 12:35
A good mouthpiece definitely helps those very notes. My favorite right now is a Hite mouthpiece and those are very reasonable in price. It produces a really pretty sound on both the LeBlanc basset horn and the alto. That fitted with a Van Doren Optimum mouthpiece really improved my sound on both.
And no the alto clarinet is not a bass clarinet but is actually almost as nimble as a Bb, which the bass is surely NOT. For me it has more the feel of the Bb, but just deeper. My horns don't seem especially out of tune either, although I do use alternate fingerings for a few notes in the altissimo range.
Good luck!
Eefer guy
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-08-31 13:01
Good comments, Ebclar, we have discussed this subject several times, so I suggest a bit of Search. I tried several altos, and found the Selmer-Paris to be far the best, and with a Pomarico 3 [Mellow] and soft reeds, happily play it in our comm band and have some fine parts, Yes, there is a "Place For Us". Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2007-08-31 13:16
Thanks, Don! You brought me back to my senses, inasmuch as I had read Tobin's post and was building the fire when you pulled me back to earth.
My el cheapo Vito sure isn't much to brag about, but it doesn't have any strange intonation problems, instead it rather sounds like it fits right in there between the regular Bb and the bass clarinet.
Now, my little eefer, on the other hand . . .
Eu
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2007-08-31 17:22
Why isn't the bass just as nimble as a soprano?
Don't tell that to Ravel, 'cause he doesn't let up on us in the beginning of Daphnes and Chloe!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2007-08-31 17:48
To make the tone quality sound less fuzzy (closer to Bb clarinet tone), try an alto sax reed. To get one that fits, use pencil and paper to take a rubbing off the lay of the alto clarinet mouthpiece and take the tracing in to the music store to see what will work.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2007-08-31 19:28
Good comment Lelia. I have switched over to alto sax reeds on alto clarinet/ basset horn about 6 months ago and find them much more responsive and easy blowing on al of the alto clarinet mouthpieces. Right now I'm using the Gonzalez reeds because that's what I use on all my other clarinets.
James, IN MY HANDS I feel the alto is more nimble than the bass and I do love my new Buffet bass ands yes I can play fast with it too but with much more effort. Very easy on the alto. Play the same Ravel passage on bass and Bb and I KNOW what will be easier! Of course I feel Bb is less nimble than Eb in my hands too. On Eefer i can play like the wind and unfortunately Ravel makes me play that fast on it too! Having done Daphnis 1&2 on Eefer I looked over at the Bb part longingly. Mine was in more sharps and much higher and the running passages were longer.
Don, will have to try a Pomarico on alto. Am having one custom made right now, so am looking forward to trying it.
Eefer guy
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Author: blazian
Date: 2007-08-31 23:06
wouldn't a resonite alto be harder to burn? wood is all oiled up and ready to go!
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