 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brad
Date: 2001-08-07 08:25
Hi,
I searched most of the threads on this, so I'm just gonna post it. Well, I'm currently in my 2nd year of playing the clarinet in marching band (going to be a sophomore), and I definitely enjoy it. However, I'm also pretty good I guess during the concert season where I was the principal chair in the 9th grade all-state select band and 2nd chair in our concert band at school. So my private teacher told me last year when I was frustrated with my tone that I was actually getting a pretty good sound in the summer before marching band, but now it is really open and unfocused. He says that it comes from blasting in marching band and really losing the feel for a good embouchure. I also don't play with my normal mouthpiece (M14) during marching band, so maybe that could have an effect as well.
Anyway, I was thinking about maybe switching instruments. I figure a saxophone or flute won't help my embouchure from what other people have said. I haven't played a brass instrument, and I'm not sure if it is the best to try and learn one before next year. I don't want to do colorguard and definitely not drum major. So I guess that leaves percussion. I wanted to get everyone's opinion on what instrument to play, but I really don't know, so I just tried it logically. (so if brass is possible just tell me, ok?) I was leaning toward bass drum. does anyone know anything about marching bass drum and if it was relatively easy to learn or not? If anyone can tell me about bass drum that would be super cool, thanks  )
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Author: Brad
Date: 2001-08-07 08:27
Oh yeah, and I just wanted to mention that I could be clarinet section leader next year...and I'm still not sure if switching instruments is worth it yet, thanks again :D
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2001-08-07 12:30
Brad,
Tell me why you "blast" in marching season. It isn't necessary. Most marching band directors try to focus in on a balanced sound just like in the band room. Good intonation is going to help the sound carry farther anyway. We try to strive for a "concert" sound on the "march" rather than getting everyone to overblow for the sake of getting more sound. I don't think I'm in the minority here either.
Marching bass drum parts are not difficult. However, most "corp" style band use tonal bass drums and all the parts are written on one piece of music. You have to be able to count very well and keep your eye on your part without being distracted by the others. It is not uncommon in this situation to only play on the up beat of 2 in one measure, but it's got to be metronomically in time. Other than carrying a few more pounds I can't see why not.
John
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Author: William
Date: 2001-08-07 14:14
Clarinet has been my main instrument since ninth grade, along with the saxophones and flute for doubling purposes. I have been All-District first chair as a high school Sop., first chair in the top wind ensemble at my big ten university, and principal or first chair in almost every band or orchestra I have played with since. Not bragging, but setting you up for the fact that I also played lead soprano bugle in an award winning mid-western drum and bugle corps and still have a range on the trumpet from low G to C above the staff. Good emough to get paid for playing the third trumpet book for a local theater production. My point is, why not consider playing a marching brass instrument--it will not harm your embouchure or sound as long as you continue to seriously practice your reeds and, if you ever decide on a teaching career (as I did), playing a brass instrument will give an advantage in being able to demostrate what you are trying to teach. And, beyond all of the logic, it is a lot of fun!!!!! Good clarineting--but consider the possiblities!!
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-08-07 14:35
I march sousaphone during marching season myself - my first instrument. I play low woodwinds during concert season, sometimes contra, sometimes bari sax. (The tuba section leader and the low woodwind section leader tend to give me weird looks when I switch. They think it's an odd combination. Fortunately I'm slated to be the tuba section leader next year during marching season, but I want to just march contra or bari sax full time.)
I agree that marching directors tend to want a supported sound, but as my band director quaintly put it: "Tone is important. Why sound like @#$% so you can make yourself be heard?"
You also need to ask yourself another question: EVERYBODY wants to play battery. Does the band really NEED one more bass drum? Plus, my best friend marches bass drum on the drum line, and he told me that not only is it very awkward to march, but if you have divided parts, which most bands do, then the music is very hard to read.
They write the drill beforehand here, so I assume they do the same there. This year we had a small disaster: one too many bass drums and one trombone short. Turns out a trombone player had to march bass drum because of a short-term mouth problem. Unfortunately, we couldn't do anything about it, so we had to completely rewrite the drill. You might be too late to do anything to get out of clarinet playing.
You said that it was a problem with embouchure? Bass drum doesn't help your embouchure any more than saxophone or flute. Why don't you march a LOW woodwind? It's not as awkward a jump in playing, and the embouchure is majorly different. I find that contra playing has greatly improved my soprano clarinet playing, even if I haven't played the clarient in a while. I was a little uncomfortable for a few days, getting used to the adjustment, but it all worked out fine.
Or you could simply play softer...
Well, that's my $.02 cents. Well, it seems to have collected interest... I kind of went on a rant, didn't I?
David Pegel
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2001-08-08 03:41
I played bass drum for two years in marching band. It's soooo much fun, but be prepared for lots of pain and bruises. I never found the divided parts too difficult to read, you just have to hear the entire part in your head and hope that the rest of the section does the same. Hope that helps!
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-08-08 04:16
I can't imagine that playing with 2 different mouthpieces is helping you, It would drive me nuts. I assume you play either a school or a "beater" instrument in marching band, and a better one at home. Either buy a second copy of your prefered mouthpiece and leave it in school, or carry it back and forth. This is my son's solution. He leaves a Bundy at school, plays his R13 at home, and uses the same Vandoren mouthpiece on both.
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Author: Blake
Date: 2001-08-08 15:17
I played Bass drum in college.. Marching half time shows was fine...enjoyed playing "send in the clowns" for the homecoming court.. but... and this is seldom thought through..when you do parades....its NOT fun on bass drum since you have to play the entire time..cadences and songs. I was never so miserable then having to march for two hours playing the whole time at a 4th of july parade in 90 degree weather in a wool uniform....
Blake
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Author: Ashley
Date: 2001-08-08 22:51
I also played bass drum my senior year in high school.. but for two years before that I played xylophone. I don't know if your school has a pit, but I found those instruments very fun--if you play piano. Bass drum will give you calluses on your hands and bruises on your collarbone, but it was really really fun. Like an earlier post, the divisi parts are not difficult once you have all the parts memorized and know where your part fits in. But like any other instrument, you have to learn to play it properly (loudly) and be very well in time. Like another previous post, marching in parades is not fun on bass. We went to Ireland and did Saint Patrick's Day parades (2 miles long) and it was grueling. Band shoes are not very supportive for your feet. With all of this information, hopefully you can make your decision. I would not recommend learning a different instrument with a different embouchure--that won't help your current clarinet embouchure.
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Author: Brad
Date: 2001-08-09 06:33
Hi,
Ok, Jon: I don't blast at all times while playing, naturally there are dynamic contrasts. However, because we are outdoors, obviously there is a need for playing more loudly. In marching competitions, judges always look for a strong woodwind section and not just bodies on the field. It is true that, like my band director says, "we are a band that just happens to march", in that all the fundamentals have to be there. My intonation is not suffering either, it is ok. (I'm one of those fortunate((??)) piano students with perfect pitch)
David Pegel: Almost the entire percussion section is made up of seniors this year. I think the real percussionists will be needed on snare and quads I'm not talking about switching instruments this year to inconvenience the band, instead I am thinking ahead to next year. We've already had band camp, and I don't think they will change the entire drill over.
Thanks for all the help)
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