 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2014-07-28 10:06
As there is a couple of threads going at the moment pertaining to getting old I thought I"d like to share with you a new trick that I have recently taught myself. Years ago I was principle Eb Alto Sax in a local Concert Band. Later on I abandoned the Saxophone in preference to the Clarinet. I still occasionally pick up the Alto Sax when I'm required to teach that instrument at the local music school. As I no longer own a Saxophone I have to borrow one from the music shop which is within the school. This is an inconvenience. And strange to say, I can still play Saxophone very well.
I have no problem transposing to other keys on the Clarinet , the usual one tone up ect. Even using the Viola's C clef to play that string instruments music. (Changing the C Clef to a F Clef and raising the key signature up one tone) One of the easiest transpositions to do actually.
But to play Eb Alto Sax music on a Bb Soprano Clarinet requires that you transpose DOWN a perfect 5th. I call that a 'remote ' transposition. Who can do that easily?
Then it occurred to me. Why not do as the Recorder players have done for hundreds of years. Relearn the fingering chart. They have a recorder in C (Descant) and one in F (Alto/Treble). They move the fingering chart UP a perfect 4th for the Alto. In the case of the Bb Clarinet & Eb Saxophone, the Clarinet fingering chart is moved UP a perfect 5th.
So , I now have a fingering chart (in my head) for Bb Clarinet and one for Eb Saxophone. Took me about a month to really 'get into it' but now I can freely read and play Eb Alto Sax music on the Bb Soprano Clarinet. Much easier by far than mentally transposing the Sax part. All I have to do is 'stay focused' on which instrument part I"m playing.
Two very interesting things are noted when one does this. Firstly , the fingerings for the Clarinet from B natural in the middle of the stave down to an octave B natural below are IDENTICAL to the Saxophone fingerings and also , if one has a full Boehm Clarinet with the low Eb , you can play the lowest written note on the Sax, (Bb)
So there ya go. This old dog has learnt a new trick. (I'm actually a recorder player from 'way back' as well)
BJV
"The Clarinet is not a Horn'
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2014-07-28 10:41)
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2014-07-29 20:45
Yes David, that's the little detail that I mentioned when I said that from B natural in the middle of the stave down to the B natural an octave below , the Clarinet fingering is IDENTICAL to the Saxophone fingering.
The big difference with the 'Recorder Method ' of transposing is, you don't 'think out ' the fingering. You simply play the notation that's in front of you, including the Key Signature.
In other words , you're fingers do the transposing for you without the mental gymnastics.
BJV
"The Clarinet is not a Horn"
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