 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-03-05 22:17
While this is a clarinet based message board, it doesn't necessarily mean that as a clarinettist, clarinet player or clarinet enthusiast that the clarinet in any shape or form has to be your ultimate favourite musical instrument.
With the exception of clarinets (specifically ALL clarinets), what is your favourite musical instrument?
I've always been a fan of oboes and harpsichords, although to narrow it down to one instrument, then it's cor anglais for me.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2025-03-05 22:17)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2025-03-05 22:33
These days, voice. For many past years, piano. I get some of my best inspiration from listening to singers.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: lmliberson
Date: 2025-03-05 23:36
I totally agree with Philip - if we all aspire to sing and make music with the clarinet (or any instrument, actually), it is the voice that serves as an example.
I would always - without exception - have my students sing a phrase in order to listen to themselves and feel the music with the clarinet removed from the equation. It was a rare occasion when one of them could initially play a phrase on the clarinet as musically well as they could sing it. Just like we speak in phrases naturally, we can often sing in a similar fashion - even as we might have a lousy singing voice!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2025-03-06 00:04
Oboe and french horn. When played exceptionally well, they tend to just 'heal the soul'.
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Vandoren BD5 HD 13-series mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren #4 Blue-box reeds
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clartl
Date: 2025-03-06 23:24
i agree with david on this one. A nice in-tune oboe with great tone is unbeatable
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tom H
Date: 2025-03-07 02:53
Flugalhorn. I own one and used it while teaching beginning band students and also occasionally took a solo on it with the HS jazz band I taught.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mike M
Date: 2025-03-07 21:17
Bass (electric bass in particular).
Our daughter (a very-good violinist) played electric bass in her school's jazz band.
I remember her telling me that the frets made it way-easier....
fast forward:
I broke-out her bass during Covid and started playing scales/arpeggios (I'm a classical muso) just for something to do - rather than think about all of my cancelled gigs that year.
I have since continued to play bass as a release from my normal ww practice routine.
For the past several months I have played bass in a 2x per month "jam" with a guitarist and drummer playing classic rock; Clapton, AC/DC, etc. I am having a ball.
Allegro Chamber Players
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2025-03-08 05:53
Chris, harpsichord seems a rare contender for favorite instrument nowadays. A good one played by a capable and understanding performer can be brilliantly illuminating. Dynamics conveyed by compositional augmentation and diminution. I used to enjoy the D. Scarlatti sonatas on harpsichord. In modern times it's often used for an exotic, sometimes menacing or even wild effect.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2025-03-08 19:03
Bass oboe, specifically large bore instruments like the Heckelphone and Lupophone. They just have such a beautiful tone.
-JDbassplayer
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2025-03-12 01:35
Floboe (flute & oboe together, when the tone blends so seamlessly it becomes another a new instrument)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2025-03-13 20:49
I play the whole oboe family in addition to the whole clarinet family.
I love oboe d'amore's sound. Wish I got to play it more often! English horn would be a close second.
Eefer guy
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: ElizabethMH
Date: 2025-03-15 23:00
Mandolin (Italian tradition); cello, harp, hurdy-gurdy. I am learning the piano, and while I love most piano music, I've never gravitated towards it as an instrument, beautiful as a grand piano is.
Elizabeth
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: lmliberson
Date: 2025-03-16 21:25
And don't forget the mandoline, the sound of which can slice through any situation! 😂
Post Edited (2025-03-16 21:42)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2025-03-17 16:27
Interesting responses so far. They seem divided by reasons for their choice; some seem to like particular instruments for their sound, while others, including me, like them for their, hmm, uses. By uses I mean things like the great music written for some instruments, or the ranks of great performers of them, and the many inspiring and varied musical experiences one might have from listening to them.
Being honest, I don't even rank the clarinet very highly among instruments I like, despite playing the darn thing a couple hours a day. It's limited compared to others, and it can't easily express many musical aspects that other instruments can. Yes indeed, it can sound beautiful, and it can do a lot of things, and a sensitive performer can touch me deeply or inspire me, but not as often or as readily as some other musicians have.
For one thing, there's not all that much clarinet music that I really enjoy listening to, despite having heard and continuing to explore a lot of it. If I feel like listening to music, I usually choose something else, and these days that's most often vocal music.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-03-18 03:20
I like the sound of a pedal steel guitar (which is more like a zither if anything), but I really can't stand Country music.
The only non-Country use of a pedal steel guitar I can think of are in the Depeche Mode track 'The Bottom Line' (from their 'Ultra' album):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBXHjSdWT6U
... and before that, Paul Young 'Everything Must Change' which also has some classic '80s fretless bass goings on in it (and if sung with a different accent, could easily be a Country song):
The UK version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW5bUWaX_Ic
... and the US version which I never knew about until just now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdSieF8hn08
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2025-03-20 17:14
My first listening to pedal steel guitar, and it was interesting. I was briefly reminded of the ondes martenot in Messiaen's music, but it's different than that. A nice sound indeed, and country music sometimes uses it well. Sadly, I have a limited capacity for appreciating country music.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: VicBB
Date: 2025-03-22 08:51
My favorite classical instrument is the classical guitar, as much due to its tone as the beautiful Spanish music they wrote for it. My favorite orchestral instrument that rivals the clarinet is the flute, such pure tone. Outside of that I love a good archtop or gypsy guitar for their ringing piercing quality.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2025-03-22 19:45
Vibraphone
(my son is studying percussion, and his vibraphone practicing is often like a trip to the spa. Haha)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RoseBL
Date: 2025-04-01 11:00
Chris P wrote:
> I like the sound of a pedal steel guitar (which is more like a
> zither if anything), but I really can't stand Country music.
>
> The only non-Country use of a pedal steel guitar I can think of
> are in the Depeche Mode track 'The Bottom Line' (from their
> 'Ultra' album):
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBXHjSdWT6Uagar io
>
> ... and before that, Paul Young 'Everything Must Change' which
> also has some classic '80s fretless bass goings on in it (and
> if sung with a different accent, could easily be a Country
> song):
> The UK version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW5bUWaX_Ic
> ... and the US version which I never knew about until just now
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdSieF8hn08
>
It's exciting to see pedal steel guitar popping up outside of Country music – what a unique and soulful sound!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clariphone
Date: 2025-04-01 23:04
Tenor saxophone. In fact, if I could retain just one instrument, I guess it would be my Trevor James Signature Custom Raw tenor saxophone.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bsharp
Date: 2025-04-02 01:05
Oboe.
The range of coloration a fine player can produce is beyond anything I’ve heard from a clarinet. But I aspire to it.
Stephen Schiffman
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
}