 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: beejay
Date: 2009-07-01 17:38
I rashly applied to join an amateur big swing band in formation and have to attend an audition for reading skill and improvisation early in September. Apart from an inordinate appreciation for Jimmy Hamilton and Barney Bigard, I have no experience in this field -- my usual gigs being with a classical orchestra. So I'm going to have to work hard during the vacation to nail this down. I'd like to ask experts whether, apart from regular scale and arpeggio practice, is there anything I should be doing that's specific to the big band idiom?
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2009-07-01 18:02
Listen!
Play along with recordings of the "standard" tunes.
Buy some of the Aebersold books with the standard tunes in them and play along with the recordings...
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2009-07-01 20:35
Go to youtube.com and search for Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and the other bands that will pop up. Give a listen to the style and observe that groups of eighth notes are not played literally but more like triplets with the first two notes tied- this gives the "swing" feeling without complicating the writing and reading of the charts. Have fun, and help keep the good old swing music alive!!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-07-01 21:16
Hi B J- Presuming that a "swing band" in France would be much the same, and playing the same old charts, as in the US big bands of the 1930-50's, where you would be a voice in a 4 or 5 piece sax section. Unless they are looking for a lead alto or ride tenor, your major challenge MAY be in the "phrasing" with the lead. I played a lot of 3rd alto and some 4th tenor, where expecting the UNexpected was the rule. Perhaps they are looking for a solo jazz clarinet ala BG, AS, WH et al. Thots?, Info needed, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: mrn
Date: 2009-07-01 21:34
Glenn Miller's another good one to listen to. Miller was a trombonist, but his band was famous for using a clarinet lead over the sax section.
In fact, it's been immortalized (if not overly dramatized) in film... 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6_knLCjiWI
Post Edited (2009-07-01 21:35)
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Author: beejay
Date: 2009-07-01 21:39
Dunno Don. The ad merely said "soufflers" -- blowers -- for a band that would play the classics from the 30s, 40s and 50s. It may all come to nothing, but I really love listening to that kind of music and would much enjoy playing it, I'm sure. Probably a dozen clarinettists better than me will turn up for the audition, but I'm one of life's optimists. I'm playing through a jazz fakebook, but wondered if I needed to concentrate on certain scales or chord combinations. I have played with some small combos and was once told I sounded like Pee Wee Russell. Didn't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. But hey, I like Pee Wee.
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Author: clarinetdude108
Date: 2009-07-01 22:32
Check out Peanuts Hucko as well.
Also, take a look at the airmen of note audio archive. There is a ton of big band music in there, and you can find alot of the old original glenn miller charts as well.
http://www.rewindplay.com/airmenofnote/sounds/sounds.htm
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Author: dgclarinet
Date: 2009-07-02 16:40
Beejay..echoing what Don said...you better make sure they're not looking for a sax player (you never said whether you play sax, so I'm not sure). I've never been in a big band that had a full-time clarinet player. It's probably going to be 2 altos, 2 tenors and a bari sax. One or more of those probably should be able to double on clarinet, but sax is the main instrument.
Of course, I know nothing about the kind of band that you're auditioning for, but just don't want you to get to the audition and get put in front of an alto 2 book with nothing but a clarinet.
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Author: Tinselworm
Date: 2009-07-03 01:44
dgclarinet: If it's a standard 17-piece line up then you're probably correct, but the OP states a 'big swing band', this could mean a big band, a larger jazz orchestra, or any combination thereof. Many less structured jazz orchestras have dedicated clarinetists - I am one of them
For the OP: Best tip I can give is to listen, listen, and listen some more. Listen to how the clarinet blends in - or, more accurately - soars above, the tenors when playing in unison, as opposed to solo. The trick is to make it soar *and* and blend at the same time. Listen to the tone and colour of both instruments, and how they work together. In a big band or jazz orch the clarinets are quite often playing tenor parts pitched an octave higher. If you can imagine that, you're well on your way. There's a nice example of this here, at about 50 seconds in and again at 2.25 and in the last phrase: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niYPjvd7y-Y
Also, if it's any more than the standard line up of 2 tenors, 2 altos and a bari - make sure your projection is good. Clarinets can be easily drowned by a large rank of saxes, especially around the throat area. Spoken by one who knows - sometimes at rehearsal I'm fighting against 30 of 'em ;-)
Good luck with the audition, beejay. Swing is massive fun.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2009-07-03 03:05
Quote:
Probably a dozen clarinettists better than me will turn up for the audition, but I'm one of life's optimists. And remember, even if this DOES turn out to be the case, it'd be a great experience, and heck, maybe you'll find someone to get some pointers off of!!! The audition won't hurt.
In the meantime, have fun!
Alexi
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