 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: John Morton
Date: 2013-09-08 03:48
Has anyone tried one of these when playing a soprano clarinet into a microphone? I won't go into why I would want such a thing, but my hope is to have a low woodwind sound, more or less. I'd like to avoid the distortion and other effects that often come with such devices.
thanks
John
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2013-09-08 05:32
I've used an octave pedal, though with a contact mic and aiming for distorted sounds. Sounds wicked awesome. Unfortunately, much of the harmonic character is lost, at least in the Boss model, as the pedal attempts to ascertain the base frequency. A bit of autotune artifacting can ensue.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2013-09-08 05:32
Yes, soprano and mainly bass clarinet, and mostly with a pickup (started with a microphone and changed to a pickup), and not just octave pedal but many other pedals. My main pedal is a multieffect pedal and I rarely use its distorition effects, but often use many of the others.
Using a soprano clarinet with the octave effect will probably not sound at all like a bass clarinet, if that is what you're trying to do? But it can sound interesting (in a good way) depending on what you want from it. I've even used it with the low notes of the bass clarinet (having both notes come out).
The difficult thing is that a clarinet is tricky to capture with one dynamic microphone and it can be uneven especially with effects. A condenser is almost sure to capture some sounds around you (assuming you play with others on the same stage, etc.). That's why I use a pickup.
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Author: John Morton
Date: 2013-09-08 14:57
My application is a trio: clarinet/cello/resophonic guitar (fingerstyle). If either clarinet or cello could drop an octave at will, it would eliminate a redundancy that now happens. We spend a lot of time in the same register, and can't avoid hitting the same notes at the same time when improvising collectively. This is most apparent with guitar and cello playing I's and V's in support of clarinet solos, but also happens with the other permutations.
I really must borrow something to try on both cello and clarinet. I'm using a tiny omni condenser mic, a clip-on set very close so that there is minimal leakage from other sources. The cello will require something similar for this to work. It makes sense that the octave pedal needs a reasonably pure signal. Like they say, "garbage in, garbage out".
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Author: alto gether
Date: 2013-09-08 17:50
Okay, we're talking about effects here. Before I got my contra alto, I made a few really bad low tracks playing alto clarinet and bass-shifting an octave in Audacity. I still do scratch string bass tracks that way, playing the parts on damped guitar and bass-shifting, because it is a nuisance dragging the recording gear downstairs or the string bass upstairs.
Anybody found a really good digital bass-shifter for recorded tracks?
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2013-09-08 22:04
I have used the octave feature on a Line6 Pod XT Live and it was really useful. I have always done this in conjunction with other effects, where the overall intent has not been to sound like a clarinet.
"clarnibass" has done some very cool things with a audio processing.
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Author: ned
Date: 2013-09-09 00:46
John Morton wrote: ''My application is a trio: clarinet/cello/resophonic guitar (fingerstyle''
This sounds rather interesting.
As well as playing clarinet I have a strong interest in string music - that is - country style.
I have recordings of early bluegrass where, on occasions, a cello is used to play the bass part in the repertoire. I wonder if your trio is along these lines?
I am also teaching myself lap steel guitar and have a reso and an electric.
cheers,
jk
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2013-09-09 05:44
>> I'm using a tiny omni condenser mic, a clip-on set very close so that there is minimal leakage from other sources. <<
It might work just fine. It's worth trying to record something only from your mic line when you sit/stand and play like you do in concerts and have the same amplification (and volume). The leaks can be from the other players but also from the speakers. Then you can hear how much is really leaking (or not). It can sometimes be fine even with leaking but once you add effects the leaks can be noticable.
It also depends on how evenly the mic captures the clarinet. Without effects, if some notes are louder than others it could be fine, but the effect can repond strangely to something like that sometimes.
In general (at least IME) a low octaver on a clarinet will usually sound like something between a bass clarinet and a bassy synth, maybe a bit closer to the latter.
BTW if the music is standard enough that you have things like I and V, maybe you can decide what range you're using in different areas? I play bass clarinet with in a trio with a cello and when making up our parts sometimes we decide what range to use so it's not all bassy or both too high in the same range.
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Author: John Morton
Date: 2013-09-09 16:50
We are working with many variables. We began as a clarinet/guitar duo, which had a perfect acoustic balance using a loud metal resonator guitar played with fingerpicks. We played without amplification. The added cello works well in rehearsal. It can play the role of string bass, take solos arco or pizz, and pair with the clarinet on written duet lines. On stage (all miced) we are hearing a balance, which requires that I play more softly at times.
However I now get audience comments about the cello being inaudible, as well as that issue of doubling the guitar's bass notes. (Fingerstyle guitar mostly plays a continuous alternating bass with the thumb.) The balance we hear is because of our proximity on stage, but there is not enough gain in the cello mic to get that balance in the PA.
clarnibass, I will set up some recording/micing situations as you describe. I am so happy with my own mic (photos in this post: http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=389569&t=389569) that I will try to do that to the cello. In fact the DPA kit came with a violin/cello mount that puts the mic very close to the bridge. If that sounds OK I would then try processing clarinet and cello signals, for better or worse.
There is a slippery slope here - I'll report back if there are interesting developments.
ned, our music is jazz, blues, ragtime and jugband material from the 20's. The different genres (including "country") had not diverged at that time, so to me it's all just the popular music of the day. I don't know of anything that old you'd call bluegrass, but the East Texas Serenaders was a string band of the 20's that used a cello, 3-string I believe.
John
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Author: ned
Date: 2013-09-10 00:17
Hello JM,
I used general terms to describe my interests, there was lots of different stuff happening in the early days of course, and I don't really like to categorise music apart from that which I like and that which I don't like. I happen to like acoustic pre-war (mostly) string and jazz music. I'd be interested in hearing your group. If you put some material up on the net, please let me know.
As for the East Texas Serenaders - I have but one recording of theirs ''Mineola Rag'' - it really took my attention and I am aware that a collection of their recordings have been released about twelve months ago, it's on my list of stuff to buy.
As for clarinet - every now and again I get the chance to play revivalist New Orleans jazz - in the meantime I just practice regularly.
cheers,
JK
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