 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Carl L
Date: 2001-06-17 17:32
Nelson Heggen's hilarious thread ("Bay Mouthpieces") got me thinking about the following. How many of you play more than one instrument? How many were, eh, "asked" to switch by some crazed bandleader short on, say, tubas or, in Nelson's case, bass clarinets? The TUBA BBS, naturally, is rife with tales from tubists forced to take up the tuba because "nobody else would play it". Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was in elementary school, my band director "suggested" I leave the trumpet section and pick up one of those funny looking sousaphones leaning against the back wall. When I whined "Why?" I got the stock answer, "Because your the biggest kid in the band and probably the only one who can pick the horn up!" Like Nelson, I faced a few months of ridicule and dirision from my buddies and fellow bandsmen. This only fueled my ambition all the more and by high school I was All-State. Here comes an interesting side-story. I left college to volunteer for the Marines (seemed like the right thing to do in '67). I remember the recruiter assuring me I'd have no problem joining "The President's Own"... Next thing I know, I'm humping an M60 through the rice paddies outside Quan Tri and wondering where the hell my tuba was.(It was back home collecting dust for four years.) I'm sure you veterans can relate...
Anyway, back to the question at hand. I took up fiddle and banjo because of the Bluegrass tradition of my family members; mom and dad, uncles and aunts all came from Appalachan backrounds and picked and fiddled.( I still encounter some snobbish resistance in the music world when I mention Bluegrass. But let me assure you, it is as pure a music form as, well, Jazz, Dixieland, etc.)
My biggest problem is literally finding TIME to practice tuba, fiddle, banjo, clarinet sand trombone. Now that I have retired from teaching, I can spend more time practicing. I also make some good money pickin' and fiddlin' Bluegrass through the summer months, so banjo and fiddle get my priority hours ( but I always find time for my clarinet, which I love to play as much as ever.) I AM winding down on the tuba. My Dixieland and Polka days (here in Cleveland Polka is still king!) are pretty much over, as I don't have the stamina to hump the Hurshbrunner from gig to gig. Besides, there just aren't that many tuba gigs out there anymore.(Curse those darn synthesizers...they've put more than one legitimate musician out of work...)
So, let's get some feedback. Which instruments do you play? Which one do you favor over the others, and why? Were you forced to switch? Let's get this thing going! Hey, don't just read-con tribute! have a great Father's Day. Iget to spend the afternoon with all my kids and let them feed ME for a change!
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Author: Kaizhi
Date: 2001-06-17 18:42
Hi..
ok.. my background is like this -
The clarinet can be considered my primary instrument; I played it longest (10 years or so) and it's my best instrument in terms of my playing but it's the one which I am most unhappy about!
The oboe is the next one that I picked up; (it was actually an accident that led to me volunteering to pick up the oboe in my then marching band but I had no idea how an oboe sounds like at that time!) I soon grew to love it a lot. Perhaps, the clarinet playing helped in me learning the oboe real fast and friends and foe say I do sound better on it than the Bb, (SIGH - partly why I am always so unhappy on the clarient).
Recently, I started playing a lot more Eb soprano, Eefer. I love playing it!! Everytime a chance comes, I will ask if they require a Eb player, instrument provided by myself.
So as you can see, I am most comfortable playing the Bb. I just hate the way I play it - my sound especially. Technique on the Oboe isn't half as good but I am very proud of those few notes where I think I don't sound bad at all.
Nowadays, my friends all know that if they want me to play the clarinet, they can just lure me with the Eb part.
Goodness knows how many concerts I have done doubling on Oboe, English Horn and Eb clarinet. Yup, just the Eb.
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Author: clarinet713
Date: 2001-06-17 19:42
I can "play" flute, sax of any kind, recorder (haha), oboe, and a very tiny bit of bassoon (I had to stop when I started having these wrist problems-they didn't want any other factor contributing to whatever it is I have). Also English horn, E flat clarinet, bass clarinet, alto clarinet, and contra clarinet. Keep in mind I am not very good at any of these except the clarinets! Clarinet (B flat) is my major instrument obviously-I have played for 10 years and I absolutely LOVE IT!! I couldn't imagine not playing or not having music in my life. I would not want to switch over to bass clarinet-no offense to those bass clarinetists! But I just love the B flat and everything about it (except maybe the whole idea of having to use a REED )
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-06-17 20:57
I too can relate. Joined the Coast Guard in '65 and ended up on "ice berg patrol" off the tip of Greenland. Very cold and rough as hell up there. As for my music, I play Bb sop., bass, and contra alto clarinets. I am also piddling around with the euphonium and an old Eb tuba. There's a big shortage of tubist down here. We're shakin' the trees for one now for our July 4th concert.
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Author: Jessica
Date: 2001-06-18 00:26
My band director never tries to lure us into playing other instruments... maybe because he's a clarinetist; he always gets the flutes to do it, we have a surplus of them anyway.
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Author: beth
Date: 2001-06-18 01:43
played clarinet for about 10 yrs (eons ago) stopped and picked up alto and tenor recorders. After playing them for about 25 yrs, and still going strong, I consider the recorders my main instruments. It's amazing how expressive those "simple" instruments are. Anyway, started clarinet again last fall and am slowly picking up speed on the instrument. I can fumble tunes on the C flute, harmonica, piano and oboe. I did put some serious time in on the tenor sax when I was playing clarinet cause the band director needed a tenor for stage/jazz band. When my son gets his orchestra bells, I'm going to play around with those....with images of Lionel Hampton in my head. 
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Author: Pam
Date: 2001-06-18 02:08
Well, count me in as one who was asked to change instruments. I started on Bb clarinet in elementary school and still consider that my main and favorite instrument. When jr. high rolled around and going to a small school I was asked if I'd like to learn a lower brass for marching band and started on trombone in May of my 7th grade year. I distinctly remember marching my first Memorial Day Parade barely having figured out this bass clef thing yet. Probably faked the whole parade but had a blast. I ended up playing the bone for marching and stage (jazz) bands and the clarinet and bass clarinet for concert band all through school.
There are many more instruments out there so even though I'm a tad older now (graduated 79) ya just never know. I just started piano around Christmas of last year and would like to add flute and sax at some point. Oh, yeah, I play handbells too. Music is a lot of fun for me.
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Author: Mike Harrelson
Date: 2001-06-18 03:26
I remember being "asked" to play contrabass clarinet because I wasn't good enought to be in the clarinet section. That must have been about 7th grade. I sat there all year unable to play and afraid I would be called on in rehersal. Looking back on it, I bet I couldn't get much of a sound today out of that particular insturment and the one reed I used all year. (I now know its about the mouthpiece and reed and the instrument has to work too).
After playing in the local adult community band for about 18 years I was "asked" to help out on bass clarinet. The last four years have been a blast on bass clarinet. In fact I bought my own bass two months ago. When I picked up the bass clarinet music last week for a special wind symphony concert the conductor said he might need me on "Bb" clarinet or maybe contrabass (I did later learn how to play contra by the way). My wife's theory is that as soon as you purchase a bass clarinet, they want you on another instrument.
Clarinet players are the "doublers" of the band anyway.. we're always being asked to play sax (I have an alto, tenor and bari) or Eb clarinet or Alto clarinet.
Is this because we're so good, or is it because people don't like the way we play clarinet?
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Author: meredith
Date: 2001-06-18 11:35
I started on clarinet in high school and it is still my favourite and probably my best instrument. Like most clarinetists I dabble on the flute and a bit of sax, although I have problems reaching the keys and I tried the oboe for a while bit it gave me terrible headaches.
Then I moved to a country town and the only community band in town was a brass band so at the age of 27 I took up the cornet but I sounded like a grunting pig so my band master moved me on to the tenor horn. Four years later I love it nearly as much as my clarinet and am now playing the principal horn part in the band. However, I don't think I will ever feel really comfortable on brass as it is just so hard.
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Author: Bob the Composer
Date: 2001-06-18 13:39
When I was just starting in band, I wanted to play the trombone, but was not allowed to because the director thought my hands perfectly suited to the clarinet. I still play the clarinet, but two days ago my dad bought me a tenor sax for my graduation present. I am so far picking it up well, but sometimes I have trouble getting the octaves right (i.e. I try to play a low E, but get the one an octave above instead half the time). Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with this dilemma?
Bob
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-06-18 14:20
I got braces on my teeth in the 8th grade and my director sent me home with a french horn. I really liked the instrument, but was sitting first chair with my clarinet and didn't want to have to start at the bottom again, so I went back to the clarinet after a couple of weeks and never switched again.
Then, later in life I decided I really wanted to learn to play the guitar. So, now I can play the guitar pretty well, but it takes lots of work to keep up both instruments.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-06-18 17:04
A metal Conn clarinet Christmas present in fourth grade was love at first sight. Played through grammer school, got a wood horn in high school, went on to four years in the (U.S.) Air Force as a bandsman and played around several more years after that. Along the way I picked up saxes, fooled around with tenor banjo, did a little better as a self taught cornet player and got absolutely nowhere with the trombone except a deep admiration for anyone who plays one even reasonably well :]
Been playing off and on ever since and I'm an old guy now. I've played in just about any outfit that would let me: marching/concert bands, community band, philharmonic orchestra (nothing compares -- 'country', dance (big) bands, trad jazz, night club trios or (?), anything that's fun. Well, most all of it was fun or I wouldn'ta kept doin' it. I stopped playing for a long time then recently took it up again.
The clarinet to this day remains my first love. I have a lot of respect for players of other instruments, especially my wife who intermittently saws away at her 'cello and dabbles at the piano.
- ron b -
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Author: beth
Date: 2001-06-18 17:21
I'll second that, respect for string players. My hubby plays the violin, started last year, and has made great strides on it. I look at that thing and say"but how do you KNOW which position to play for each note?" I can't comprend an instrument that doesn't have a key/finger combo for each note. Those 4 itty bitty narrow strings bumfuzzle me.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-06-18 19:48
I took piano lessons in the 2nd and 3rd grade, but didn't continue. I played a kid's recorder more or less constantly through 6th grade. I got a clarinet in 7th grade and have stayed on it ever since.
I always experimented with every instrument in the band storeroom and so got reasonably comfortable on every size from Eb through BBb contra by the time I got through high school. The band also bought, believe it or not, a soprano/alto/tenor/baritone set of Selmer Mark VI saxes. I fell in love with the bari and played it constantly. I also took up flute (over my mother's objection - she told me I'd be called a sissy - never happened).
In college, I played mostly Bb, with excursions to tenor sax for shows.
In the army (West Point Band), I played Bb and then Eb/BBb contra exclusively, and Bb and occasional alto or tenor sax for parades. I also got interested in recorder.
Since then, I've played as much recorder as clarinet - all sizes from sopranino down to F contrabass. It helps that my wife is also a recorder player. I continue to play modern and baroque flute. I've also done a lot of choral singing.
I've gotten some interesting clarinets, including a silver Eb, a metal Leblanc paperclip BBb contra and, most recently, a Selmer Eb contra-alto. The hard part is finding time to keep up on everything.
The best part of all is participating on Sneezy.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: erica
Date: 2001-06-19 01:43
I started on clarinet in 5th Grade, and am still playing it (I'm a H.S. Junior now) as well as alto sax (in Jazz band). I can feel my way through on flute. I keep telling my director that he should let me play flute on something, but no luck yet. I can play almost all of the piece we're working on for marching (field) season on flute.
Someday I'll learn to play it well... but for now I better keep practicing clarinet. <|:o)
Erica
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Author: JC
Date: 2001-06-19 18:11
I started piano lessons when I was about six years old, so that's really my main instrument. I began clarinet in 5th grade, and really enjoy playing in a band. I remember being sooooooo angry that kids were allowed to start strings in school in 4th grade, but not band until 5th. I had a good enough ear to realize that no one in the school's string orchestra could play without sounding screechy and horrible, which turned me off of stringed instruments for a long time. Now I have a friend who plays the cello and am beginning to realize that strings can be beautiful too. I technically learned guitar in 8th grade music class, but none of it really "sunk in'. (I'm just finishing 9th grade now).
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-06-20 02:34
Flute:35years. Clarinet:30years. Saxes:5years. Trumpet:2years.
As to exercizes, Glen Gould did not need that. Buddy Lich did not need that.
Some of the really gifted players enjoy playing as part of exercizes.
But this is not true of those people who have not attain the summit.
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Author: Pam
Date: 2001-06-20 02:45
I have to second or third the appreciation for string players. We have a really awesome string section at my church.
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Author: Nick Conner
Date: 2001-06-20 14:14
I started on clarinet about 6 years ago, in 6th grade. Upon entering high school I picked up tenor sax (I'm now the lead sax in our jazz band), which quickly spread into all the other saxes for my show choir backup band. I play bass clarinet once a year (I don't have a problem just picking it up and playing it) in mayfest pit band. I play flute, oboe, and possibly any other woodwind instruments needed in our musical pit bands. One of these days I'll find some book that will teach me the concept of a brass embouchure. Until then I just sound bad. I know the fingerings on a trumpet, and used to be able to hit an above the staff G or so, but I've given that up for woodwinds. This past January I started piano, and am happy with my progress. My piano teacher was amazed at first when she saw how quickly I learned. It's fun, but I'm definitely not good at it... yet.
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