 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: alanporter
Date: 2010-04-01 21:34
I am an elderly self-taught bass clarinetist in an amateur community concert band. I do my (almost) daily band music practice on a soprano clarinet, to save the effort of setting up, then cleaning, the larger instrument.
Do the teachers on the forum find anything wrong with this, bearing in mind that I have no greater ambitions than my present situation ? Thanks for your help. By the way, most of my knowledge about clarinets has come from reading this fabulous board.
Alan
tiaroa@shaw.ca
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: USFBassClarinet
Date: 2010-04-01 21:55
I generally don't do that because it feels awkward to try to play fast passages on bass clarinet that I worked out on Bb clarinet, as well as losing the extended range.
I would say that if you can switch seamlessly to the bass with what you practiced on Bb, I couldn't see how it is a problem. That being said, doing it on bass would be preferable.
If your intonation gets screwy too it could be an issue. I know my clarinet has different tendencies than my bass, so practicing on bass is a must if I am playing it in an ensemble.If it takes you a few times through on bass when your sitting in band to get it again, then I would thank it is an issue.
Besides, bass is just more enjoyable to play. :P
Post Edited (2010-04-01 22:06)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: davetrow
Date: 2010-04-02 04:54
I'm in a similar situation (community band), and find that not enough of my practice on the soprano transfers over. The intonation and embouchure are quite different, and even the hand positions don't really match.
Your mileage may vary, but I'd encourage you to take the time to practice the bass, otherwise your "muscle memory" for the bass won't develop, and that's really key.
Dave Trowbridge
Boulder Creek, CA
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sarah Elbaz
Date: 2010-04-02 08:31
alanporter wrote:
. I do my (almost) daily band music
> practice on a soprano clarinet, to save the effort of setting
> up, then cleaning, the larger instrument.
Alan, you can buy a stand for the bass clarinet and keep it there, and then the instrument will always be ready to play. It may help you to practice more- you can play for 15 minutes, and put it on the stand and later play again.
Sarah
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2010-04-02 16:46
If you don't want to buy an expensive bass stand, you can just stand it in a vacant corner of your room tilted bell-first toward the corner with the mouthpiece sticking out. Behind a chair for protection is good. It will remain safe and ready for practice--but I do recommend still cleaning it from time to time.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: alanporter
Date: 2010-04-02 22:31
Thank you everyone. I can always rely on this forum to give me sensible advice !
Alan
tiaroa@shaw.ca
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-04-03 00:41
Alan, I think I'm an exception. Because I often leave my bass in my locker at the symphony hall if I'm there all week I practice what's ever coming up in the future on my Bb clarinet just to learn the notes, assuming it's difficult and something I don't already know. BUT, once I learn to read the notes I will practice my bass clarinet part on the bass clarinet. I have no trouble adjusting from one to the other because learning difficult runs in basically finger memory and mental memory so I can transfer easily. As much as I love playing my bass I do find it more tiring to practice for long periods of time than I do my Bb clarinet. So my advice is that's it's OK to do what you do in the beginning but then practice it on bass the last couple of days to get the voicing and intonation correct, as well as tone control. At my stage, I don't have a problem with that. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sarah Elbaz
Date: 2010-04-03 11:23
Ed , you are an exception. After so many years you still need the Bb clarinet
to read the notes, can't you just read it with your eyes? Why practice at all?:-)
Alan- practice, practice, practice!
Sarah
Post Edited (2010-04-03 13:10)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
