 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: eac
Date: 2020-01-21 19:29
For some mysterious reason I have always liked the sound of the alto clarinet and now I have a newly formed quartet in which to play, I am sorely tempted to get a student model and a good mouthpiece and give it a try. I have the impression that a bass clarinet requires a softer or looser embouchure than a Bb and am wondering if that is true for alto as well. All feedback welcome!
Liz Leckey
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Author: Chris_C ★2017
Date: 2020-01-22 14:04
I've never had much trouble with the embouchure. A bit looser than Bb soprano, but nothing like the bass. Over the years my main challenge has been mouthpieces and reeds... I use softer reeds than on the Bb - Rico Royal 2 or 2.5 have been good sometimes, but I currently use a Legere alto sax reed, because cane reeds that sound good don't last a complete rehearsal.
Some makes of alto sax reeds fit and some don't - and some sound terrible and some don't... When I bought my instrument 20 years ago it came witha Vandoren B40; later I bought a 5RV but I've gone back to the B40.
String quartet music works well on a clarinet quartet - and the Mozart string quintets are fabulous on 3xBb+alto + bass.
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2020-01-23 20:48
No that is NOT true about the looser embouchure and reeds. I played alto clarinet in junior high for all region on a Vandoren 3.5 alto sax reed. I've always had a firm embouchure regardless which clarinet I've played. I used a 3.5 in college when playing the bass for 5 academic years. If you're going to play bass in an orchestral setting or college level music, a firm embouchure is needed to growl on the lower notes and to b in tune in the altissimo register.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mbtldsongministry/
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2020-01-25 03:42
I have a Buffet Prestige alto and it sounds great with 3-3.5 reeds on a Grabner mouthpiece. Have had good results with several sorts of saxophone reeds as well as Rico Royal and VanDoren alto clarinet reeds. Although Eb and bass are my primary instruments, I don't feel the alto embouchure too different than my Bb embouchure.
Unfortunately alto gets a bad rap as there are so many old leaky horns out there being used. A good alto can sound quite nice. There are some nice alto solos in older band literature and even the odd cadenza!
Eefer guy
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Author: eac
Date: 2020-01-26 19:37
Thanks guys! The BB is a terrific resource!
Liz Leckey
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