 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-12-30 12:26
Apparently on the principle of the Roman Legions, which used heavy swords for training and light ones for battle, my teacher advises me to practice scales and arpeggios on an A clarinet rather than a B. He says it makes playing the B seem more effortless. Interesting, but I wonder if this is a commonly held view in the clarinet community.
A very happy New Year to everyone, and may all your reeds be good ones.
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Author: Doug Ramsdell
Date: 2001-12-30 15:47
I think he's got a point, but if you really want your Bb soprano to feel like a kid's toy, take up bass clarinet. There's something about repeatedly negotiating those long throws on the bass's pinky levers especially that makes my hands feel surer on the Bb now. I do most of my etude/scale work on the A too, on the assumption that if I'm up to snuff on the A, the Bb will be an easier switch. Of course, most of us have flown more miles on Bb instruments than A's anyhow, so maybe it's more conception than reality.
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Author: Kim
Date: 2001-12-30 15:48
I tend to do long tones, articulation exercises and some other types of warm-ups on the A. I find that it takes a little bit more air and that articulations are a bit more difficult on the A, so this is why I do it.
The other logic behind it (for me) is that the Bflat tends to be played more in general. By warming up on the A, it helps to minimize the inevitable, which is that the Bflat gets blown out faster.
I do think that technical exercises (especially scales) should be practiced on both, as the technique involved (finger placement mainly) is slightly different.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-12-30 17:07
Why stop at bass? Contralto and contrabass get your fingers moving VERY fast!!
It ruins your soprano enbouchure though if you do it TOO much! ;P
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Author: Wes
Date: 2001-12-31 04:05
They play about the same for me so I practice mostly on the Bb and practice the A only on A clarinet pieces or excerpts. Good Luck!!
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Author: LynnB
Date: 2001-12-31 21:37
I do 25% of my practicing on A whether it's scales or pieces written specifically for A. That way, when I have to play it, it doesn't feel like a foreign allien in my hands.
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Author: Marcia Nottle
Date: 2002-01-01 22:25
I would agree with the idea that practising on the A makes the Bb feel a little easier. That is why I do all my practising on my A.
MArcia
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