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 I'm all over the place!
Author: Jonny C 
Date:   2002-02-19 07:36

Hi,
I wonder if anyone can help?
I have been playing alto sax for years and have recently started on clarinet. I have played for about 4 months but I am finding that I still cannot get beyong the "high D" without being really, really out of tune- mainly very flat
I have followed some basic embouchure guidance I found on the web and have been playing B with just the mouthpiece as some people recommend but this hasn't really helped.
I am wondering if there is anything I should be doing? Maybe just needs more time?

I also feel I am not getting a "full" sound at all- it seems muffled to me?!

ANY advice is well appreciated!

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 RE: I'm all over the place!
Author: sylvain 
Date:   2002-02-19 14:42

What high D?
is it 2nd register or 3rd register?
-S

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 RE: I'm all over the place!
Author: GBK 
Date:   2002-02-19 17:01

The embouchure for the saxophone and clarinet are different. You have probably noticed that, if you've gotten "basic embouchure guidance" (your words) on the web (horrors!!).

The best advice is to take a few lessons with a clarinet instructor before your possible bad habits get harder to break.

It is very possible to become a fine clarinetist after having started on saxophone, especially as you have most likely developed some fingering technique, counting, breath control, etc...

Now is the time to concentrate on achieving a beautiful sound...GBK

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 RE: I'm all over the place!
Author: ron b 
Date:   2002-02-19 18:50

Hi, Jonny C :)

WELCOME ABOARD!

You'll find many here who also have a foot in both worlds :]

If I may sorta paraphrase GBK, clarinet and sax embouchures are not interchangeable. I agree.

For whatever it's worth, I'd like to offer from personal experience the recommendation that you at this point NOT play in the upper register. Nothing above C above staff, max, until you've established a 'clarinet embouchure'. Give yourself a month or two. Clarinets don't often go much beyond that range anyway. Once you establish a Good 'basic embouchure'... don't change it :) Not much, anyway. Saxophones are way way way more flexible in that respect. What may seem like a moderate amount of embouchure change to a saxophonist is EX-treme(!) for a clarinet player. A little goes a very long way in clarinetland. It's 'the nature of the beast'.

You'll probably do best with a mouthpiece setup as near as possible to your sax setup -- reed strength, mpc lay, ligature position etc.
Also, keep reminding yourself to keep the clarinet at more of a 45-degree angle, down, rather than up-forward like a sax.

You should have no trouble with breath control, endurance or fingering. Those are all pretty much the same. Just remember to cover the open holes :) It just takes practice time to get the feel of it.

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 RE: I'm all over the place!
Author: Jonny C 
Date:   2002-02-22 07:30

Sylvain, GBK, Ron b
Thanks all for your advice, its really appreciated. I am gonna try what you recommend and see how I get on!
Cheers and thanks again
PS Sylvain- it's the third register

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