 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Barbara
Date: 2000-10-10 02:44
I'm currently doubling on the tenor sax. and clarinet, and I managed to find a alto sax (no problem there!) and a baritone sax. However, there doesn't seem to be anyone who plays soprano sax. , so I wonder if I should invite a clarinet to sub for a soprano sax in order to play sax. quartet. Any ideas on how a clarinet should blend in a sax. quartet? Reed, mouthpiece etc...
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-10-10 03:46
IMHO: Clarinet does not blend in a sax quartet. Rather it jeopadizes ensemble.
Too much difference in sound volume and tonal characteristics.
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Author: Nate Zeien
Date: 2000-10-10 05:01
Barbara, I would not recommend using a clarinet in this case. As Hiroshi said, it just doesn't blend. In my high school jazz band, we played a piece with a clarinet trio in it. Since I was the only person able to play clarinet, the instrumentation was clarinet, soprano sax, and tenor sax. This instrumentation alone is less than desireable if can at all avoided, let alone the the tenor was a booming mark 6. Suffice it to say, it didn't blend, and there were bad intonation problems. During the performance the soprano sax was dropped, the tenor player got hopelessly lost, and I was pretty much all that was left of the trio. I got nervous and did poorly on my solo, but at least I didn't get lost. I'm not saying that you will run into such a mishap, but it still won't sound right. You could always give it a try, but it'll take quite a bit of effort to make it blend halfway decently. You would be better off transposing the part for alto sax. Don't let this discourage you, though. If that's all you have to work with - make the best of it. :-) -- Nate Zeien
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-10-10 05:13
Heck! Switch them all to clarinets. Why let the saxs have all the fun. Try a Bb soprano, an alto, a bass, and a contra alto clarinet.Nate Zeien wrote:
>
> Barbara, I would not recommend using a clarinet in this
> case. As Hiroshi said, it just doesn't blend. In my high
> school jazz band, we played a piece with a clarinet trio in
> it. Since I was the only person able to play clarinet, the
> instrumentation was clarinet, soprano sax, and tenor sax. This
> instrumentation alone is less than desireable if can at all
> avoided, let alone the the tenor was a booming mark 6.
> Suffice it to say, it didn't blend, and there were bad
> intonation problems. During the performance the soprano sax
> was dropped, the tenor player got hopelessly lost, and I was
> pretty much all that was left of the trio. I got nervous and
> did poorly on my solo, but at least I didn't get lost. I'm not
> saying that you will run into such a mishap, but it still won't
> sound right. You could always give it a try, but it'll take
> quite a bit of effort to make it blend halfway decently. You
> would be better off transposing the part for alto sax. Don't
> let this discourage you, though. If that's all you have to
> work with - make the best of it. :-) -- Nate Zeien
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-10-10 10:14
For volume, I'd suggest two clarinets on the part. The saxes could bury it much too easily otherwise.
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Author: Lindy
Date: 2000-10-10 12:05
Voulme?
We have the opposite problem. I play in a sax quartet with clarinet on the sop part and it works really well (none of us have the money to splash out on a sop at the moment).
Except when we tried to record the ensemble (just on a single mic for a CD to get gigs - which incidently has been very successful!) the clarinet was much too promenant and I had to move a fair distance from the mic.
This also happens when we play gigs in a small room and I have to play down a bit (my fellow sax players are not quiet players by the way).
So I'd say give it a go and definitely DON'T put two clarinets on the top, the balance will be ok as it is so long as the players are sensitive.
Lindy
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Author: Steven
Date: 2000-10-10 14:04
Recently I played a Mozart string quintet transcribed for sax quintet. I played the soprano part on clarinet while the rest played sax (2 alto, tenor and bari). It woirked fairly well. I had to play pretty loudly to be heard though. It also depended on how the acoustics were. Sometimes when I had high notes, I just soared above the saxes; other times my middle register was drowned out. It was a fun experience nonetheless.
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Author: Chuck Evans
Date: 2000-10-11 15:02
I was interested in what you said about "getting gigs". Americans don't often hire chamber groups like sax quartet. Do you get a lot of gig requests for these sorts of groups in England!??
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Author: Lindy
Date: 2000-10-12 08:47
Re gigs:
Chuck, we don't do too badly, we tend to get asked to play at wine receptions for weddings and things and occasionally during the dinner aswell.
We're a university based group so we also play at alot of society balls, again mostly before dinner.
It can be quite lucrative!
Lindy
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