 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: C. Hogue
Date: 2001-06-21 17:45
OK, all you who play bass and switch to Bb or alto during concerts, I need some advice.
I've become a doubler by choice. My band is going through a growth spurt and is energized by a new conductor. It's a great time for change.
I started out as the lone bass clarinet in a band that had an occasional tuba player and no baritone. Now we have 3 bass clarinets, a tuba, and an excellent euphonium player, and starting last week, a string bass. Not bad for a community band of less than 50!
Because there are two other bass clarinets and to round out the sound, I'm transitioning to alto. (OK, I hear the boos out there about altos.)
However, there's not an alto part for all our pieces, plus I worked so hard at learning the tough bass part in a couple of selections that I will continue to play bass on them. So I switch between alto and bass.
We had a big ole clarinet section of 9 or 10 which has dwindled to 2 in the last month. My conductor really wants someone to play 2nd clarinet on two pieces for our four July concerts. Yes, it was crazy, but I've volunteered to do so.
This is nuts, I know, but stretches me too. And it *is* kind of fun being the person with the three sizes of clarinets. But how does one manage three horns? I don't have an instrument stand. Any thoughts? Would you share your experiences?
Thanks.
-- C.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Joseph O'Kelly
Date: 2001-06-21 18:22
I can only thank God when I have a concert that I don't bring atleast two instrument cases. It began in the eigth grade when I found myself scurrying between my bass clarinet and Bb soprano clarinet for the concert band and playing the Tenor Sax in the jazz band. Whenever another instrument is needed I'm always the first to raise my hand. Here is two fond memories of mine.
Last year I had the pleasure of playing the contra-bass clarinet and Bb soprano clarinet at the University of Michigan high-school honors band. I had to do this at two concerts. When I played the soprano I had to lie the contra beside me on the floor. I was lucky enough to have the LeBlanc curved metal model because I was able to sit on a chair rather than a stool as oposed to the straight models. I sat in the last chair in the clarinet section as to not have to move around as much. It was a blast.
I had even more fun while playing in a youth orchestra that year. It was called the Metropolitan Youth Symphony (MYS.) We had a concert at Orchestra Hall were the Detroit Symphony Orchestra plays. We played three songs and I played a different instrument on each one. I played Bass Clarinet on Toccata and Fugue by Bach, Tenor Sax on Lutenant Kiji, and Soprano Bb clarinet on the Flying Dutchman. I banged my Bass clarinet going up the narrow hallway to the stage and couldn't play third line B, (look at the bass clarinet part for Toccata and Fuge, you'll see why this could be a problem.) I ended up making up a part on the spot that worked without Bs. I didn't have time to warm up my instruments either, or even see if they played because we were the second group on and we weren't allowed to play back stage. On the first movement of Lutenant Kiji my sax didn't work and I had to scurry to fix it. Luckily everything worked out at the end. I wouldn't have traded this experience for anything.
Doubling, Tripiling, Quadrupling is a fun experience. Just make sure everything is set up and in working order before hand. I have learned it's to one's advantage to keep a cup of water by you to soak the reeds such as the double reeds do. It will keep the reeds of the instruments you're not playing moist. I would highly recomend getting instrument stands. It will save the instruments from posiible damage and save alot of hassle.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Kaizhi
Date: 2001-06-21 18:32
Hi,
I do think stands are a must. Borrow if necessary.
Here are some lessons I learnt from my own experiences as a doubler.
It's gonna be confusing playing on 3 instruments. It's great that you have practised really hard, so at least you won't panic on stage thinking about your 3 babies (water in keys, chipped reed and all that jazz) and of the music at the same time.
Next, I think mental preparedness is extremely crcucial. Do spare some time about the logistics of it all and I do think stands are a must. I was often bogged by silly trivial things like,'did I forget anything? Wait. where are my Eb reeds? Are all my scores for all 3 instruments here? etc etc, gosh.. I got the wrong coloured socks'.
Make sure nothing goes as planned. Instruments are in perfect condition, you know which reeds will be used (and sound great) for the concert. So when the day comes, you can just still enjoy the music!
I am about to play in a concert on 4 instruments (English Horn, OBoe, Eb Sop and Bb ). Wish me luck!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-06-21 18:40
C. -
The only thing that makes doubling possible is keeping up on all the instruments. The higher the instrument, the more embouchure strength you need, so you should probably put in most of your practice time on Bb for awhile, particularly since you have been playing mostly bass.
I've found that it's much easier to be playing Bb and pick up a bass or contra than going the other way. If I've been playing contra, it's a real effort to feel the Bb reed for the first few minutes. If I haven't been playing both instruments, it takes me maybe 2 or 3 minutes to adjust. If I have them both in good shape, it takes only a few seconds.
Perhaps you could ask the band director to put the pieces on which you play Bb first, alto next and bass at the end. Legere reeds help.
At least we aren't trying to play oboe :-;).
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Roger
Date: 2001-06-21 19:59
Plastic reeds can be a bonus for a doublers because they do not need to be wet to play correctly.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-06-21 20:13
Cheryl,
You need stands. Period. And with time, switching horns will become second nature --- you'll transition automatically --- trust your body and brain!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jenna
Date: 2001-06-21 20:14
I second the plastic reeds notion.. and I'm sympathetic to your situation. In my community band I have the tendancy to jump between alto, bass, and soprano. Best conclusion for me - generally I have a.) a seat in the clarinet section, with my soprano on a stand nearby, I just slide up a row from another seat just behind, where I have the bass and alto , generally on either side of me, inside their cases, assembled. Depending on the formality of the concert, you may decide to do this rather than attempt to find or make stands for each. (I hear a modified guitar stand works great for both, never tried, though) or b.) I keep all the instruments with me, wherever I'm seated with the colors, and just keep all music (alto, bass, and soprano) in one folder, and just play everything from that one area - same stand situation as above. Soprano is on a peg stand, alto and bass each inside their respective cases.
Good luck, I hope I was of some assistance..
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Leanne
Date: 2001-06-22 04:41
I agree, an instrument stand is a must. Some of you have heard my tragic story, but for those of you who haven't, here it goes...
My band director wanted me to play contra clarinet for basically one note on the last concert. I was mad. This meant I had to drag my bass and my contra with me. And since everyone was so busy (I wasn't really well liked last year), I couldn't get anyone to hold my contra whilst I put the neck strap on my bass. To make a long story short, the two instruments ended up stuck together, the assistant band director had to help me get them apart (on stage, nonetheless) and everybody laughed at me after words.
Needless to say, I will never double again.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Sue B
Date: 2001-06-22 09:51
Leanne -
Try to learn to laugh at yourself a bit. I'm sure this is not as "tragic" as you make it sound. Your experience though embarrassing is a valuable life lesson. Unpredictable things happen try to take them a bit more in stride and don't take it so seriously. Laugh with them as they say...
In one of our last concerts the whole clarinet section missed a whole important measure - I'm not going to jump off the stage over it - I will try to learn from it and try to play better. You should have seen the panic in the conductors eyes...
You should learn from this and try to handle your instruments better when doubling. Some of the the suggestion in this thread on how to handle your instruments when doubling may come in handy.
Well off the soapbox and back onto the topic at hand....
__Sue
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-06-22 10:40
Stands are really important for the safety of the instruments and for quick changes. I pit playing in shows I commonly have 5 instruments around me and changes are often expected in 3 seconds. It needs planning! Even the quick physical changes need practice.
Leanne, you've given up so soon? You cannot rely on others when they are all playing!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Cass
Date: 2001-06-22 12:30
My dad played alto, tenor and bari sax in a dance band. This was big band sound. Usually he only had to use one sax per number but sometimes had to switch in the middle of the number. What he did about keeping reeds wet was he cut up a car washing cloth. It is fabric but thin, in between the weight of a dish towel and a paper towel.
He cut some strips that were just big enough to wrap around the mouthpiece and tie. With his saxes on stands he didn't use mouthpiece caps during the gig. The band director said no caps because they fell on the floor and clattered. Dad would tie a damp piece of washcloth, not wringing wet but good and damp, around the reed. He tied single knot so he could get it off of there fast when he had to change saxes. You don't want to tie it tight or the knot can be hard to undo, but it doesn't have to be tight, jjust enough to hold the cloth touching the reed. The reed would stay perfect. He would hang the cloth over the sax stand when he was playing.
He kept a bottle of water under his chair for drinking and would have to wet the cloth a little more once or twice an evening between numbers if the gig was hot in a dry room. Usually the room was more like a sauna in summer, hot and no air conditioning. You could just about faint in there and sometimes the dancers did faint, one time a drummer keeled over too (but he was drunk) but the reed stayed nice.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: willie
Date: 2001-06-23 05:33
Ken Shaw is right on about the enbouchure thing. I play sop. in one band but they let out for the sommer. I play a contra alto in another that plays year round. In the fall that sop. feels so tiny and stuffy by then if I haven't practiced with it. Some tomes I will have to augment the other sopranos in the year round band, but I don't lay the contra down. Its too easy to knock something out of whack. Mine is the curved, so I just let it lean back on my shoulder with my are around it while I toot a bit on the "little one".
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
