 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: dew
Date: 2001-07-02 15:39
Doublers usually recommend that the doubling instrument be the best possible quality.
Is that particularly true for clarinet?
My son is a proficient sax player, SAT. He has started to learn clarinet. We do have 2 R13s here, purchased with the thought that he might have to take up clarinet as a saxophone performance major in college.
Is it good enough to have an R13, as opposed to THE R13?
Can setup choices be made to optimize an okay R13?
Alternatively, is it okay to have the kid start on the Vandoren mouthpiece that came with it until he can really play clarinet-then go to a handmade or handfinished piece?
Thank you in advance for your help.
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Author: William
Date: 2001-07-02 16:38
An R-13 is all you really need (Prestigue clarinets have an extra key that will only be in the way for soubling purposes). As for mps, it is best that all sax and clarinet models are someshat comparable in response and playing ease--all medium open, as an example. That way, the switch is less severe between instruments like bari sax and Bb clarinet. The switch to flute from a reed is less of a problem. Good Doublin'
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Author: Cass
Date: 2001-07-02 18:11
That mouthpiece question is hard to generalize about. There's a lot of variation within a brand. There's more than one style of Vandoren mouthpiece and even the ones from the same style are not all alike. I replaced my own mouthpiece a few months ago and I just got done buying beginner equipment for my son with help from my music teacher. (Now I will have to remember to say *our* music teacher!) The teacher and I looked through a lot of mouthpieces before we found the best ones to try out. I think assuming you're looking at major brands like Vandoren and Fobes, you have to judge each mouthpiece individually.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-07-02 18:12
? Is the doubling/tripling for "dance band" or/and Bdwy musical purposes? If dance band, I'd suggest a big-bore horn, Pete F [Dynamic H is ?same], old [50's] Conns/Selmers for "speaking-out" purposes as against a "classics" clar. For Bdwy musicals, a Buffet IMHO would be OK, I'd suggest a fairly wide/long lay mp to be as similar as possible to a sax mp. I'm shortly starting rehearsals for "Wizard of OZ" and another later, and have been anticipating playing Bb cl, bass cl, alto and bari saxes maybe even flute parts on my C clar.[if not too high!!, dont like to transpose multi # keys and accidentals!] . So, good luck in it! Don
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Author: dew
Date: 2001-07-02 18:43
Vandoren 2RV and 5RV came with the clarinets. He is using a Vandoren blue 3 reed. For SAT, for classical and concert work, he is playing on hard rubber C*s with 3.5 blue Vandorens. His jazz band does not include clarinet, and the private teacher for our area plays primarily in wind symphonies and symphony orchestras. So a classical/concert setup is probably fine. He found the 2RV easiest to play.
I know many sax/clarinet doublers who play jazz like Pete Fountain, and Selmer 9 and 10 , CT and BT. He isn't there yet, and will probably not be allowed to play jazz clarinet while still in high school. (Director doesn't believe in it, or have a place for it, or something...)
Just wanted the equipment to not be an obstacle.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-07-02 19:07
Hi again, DEW, sounds to me like you-all are in the early stages of experience in the variety of cl/sax playing of non-classic character. What you have said you use now sounds OK to me, a mp of the good-ole B45 character approximates my BG/Benny G mp for volume/ease-of-playing and needs med-soft reeds for the ranges [chal to low altissimo] of pitch demanded. So, try and see what works for what the music asks. I make changes even in performances as I feel the need. Don
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2001-07-02 21:51
If he sounds good on the 2RV, then I'd have him stick with it for now. It's a pretty good mouthpiece.
Chris
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-07-03 14:15
I would stick with what you have until you see which direction he'll go in the future. A good R-13 is an excellent tool for him to begin to develop his style and technique. I agree that most professional doublers who consider themselves more "sax" people than clarinetists prefer the Leblanc clarinets like the LL, Fountain and others with the bigger bore. The reason is they have a free-blowing characteristic that is more like sax players like, plus the larger bore gives a "bigger" sound. Also, the Leblancs are a lot more reliable with intonation for those who don't concentrate on clarinet. A lot of doublers like the jazz mouthpieces like the Vandoren 5JB and others.
But, if he can begin with a standard instrument like the R-13 and excell with it he'll be set for anything in the future.
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Author: dew
Date: 2001-07-03 15:29
Thank y'all for your thoughts. Our school system is a conservative one, with lots of classical players as band directors and private teachers. It truly never occurred to me to buy any clarinet other than Buffet. We have a couple of E11s and the 2 R13s. My younger son gave up trombone and was going to give up band entirely; we bought some good quality used instruments to expose him to other choices. He ended up choosing sax like his brother, but had terrific tone on the clarinet. We thought, well, we'll just hang on to these in case he changes his mind, again. Then #1 started making serious music major noise, and sax players with performance majors usually double on a different woodwind-clarinet. I had wondered if, like sax, one can change mouthpieces to get jazz tone even if playing a classical horn. (Thanks, Brenda.)
Frankly, big bore clarinets, used, seem to be mighty inexpensive compared to a used R13. Clarinets are mighty inexpensive compared to prosaxes. Doubling may not be as painful as I feared.
Y'all are very kind to help the parent of a beginner.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-07-03 16:49
If you run across a good used Leblanc LL, you can get a good deal on it and have a great doubling instrument that can also cross the line into classical very easily. I think it's one of the most versatile instruments on the market. And, yes, clarinets are much cheaper than saxophones. That's why my parents bought one for me when I started band in 1961--Selmer Bundy wood/plastic model. Of course, I've since moved up.
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Author: Larry Garges
Date: 2001-07-03 23:59
If you already own R13s, it would be silly to run out and purchase another clarinet just to play jazz on-its not like one couldn't play jazz on a R13. The response, resistence, and intonation of clarinets can be greatly changed by experimenting with mouthpieces and barrels, if one is so inclined.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-07-04 14:22
That's very true. The R-13 you currently have will work just fine unless someday your son decides he just wants another instrument. That could come when he has his own money to spend. But, as Larry just said, the R-13 with a combination of mouthpieces and experimentation is an excellent jazz instrument as well as classical.
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Author: David Kinder
Date: 2001-07-04 15:12
I'll also second what others have said about the R-13 - they're just fine. However, if they don't suit you or your son's purposes, I'd try the Leblanc Sonata. Even in the Leblanc ad, it says "perfect for the doubler who has limited time to devote to just the clarient." Even as Brenda said, they do have excellent intonation and very reliable. Just my $.02 worth.
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