 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Roman Eller
Date: 2002-03-29 15:46
Hi! I am in 6th grade and our middle school is going to have a jazz band, which I play the b flat clarinet now in our concert band, which I also play the flute, violin, trumpet, oboe, baritone horn, tuba, trombone, and saxophone. Anyways, I waz wondering if playing the bass clarinet is any different from playing the soprano clarinet? Different fingerings? Different finger positions? Please if you have any comments about me starting bass clarinet next year, post them.
Thanx
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-03-29 16:21
My philosophy is learn one thing well before branching out. And at 6th grade (age 11?) I would doubt that you have mastered the soprano (Bb) clarinet, especially if you're putting in time on all the other instruments you mentioned. My advice would be to focus on the soprano clarinet for another 4 or 5 years until you have learned it inside out and then start branching out with bass clarinet, sax, flute, and maybe double reeds. I'd stay away from brass instruments unless you plan on going into music ed. where you'll need to be able to play some brass for teaching purposes. It's better to do one thing well than several things halfway.
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Author: Dan Borlawsky
Date: 2002-03-29 16:31
I have to agree with Robert. I'm sure many instruments are attractive to you, but to branch out in so many directions at such a young age cannot possibly produce artistic performance on any one instrument.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-03-29 16:51
Roman -
I agree with you. The more instruments the better. I've never had trouble with confusing fingerings. Just the feel of the instrument in my hands "keys in" the correct ones.
As long as you keep up on your primary instrument, it can't hurt you to play others.
Bass clarinet is played with the same fingerings as soprano clarinet. There are not many jazz bass clarinetists, but there have been a few -- for example, Eric Dolphy. The problem is that the instrument is in Bb, but it's not effective on bass sax parts. You could play tenor sax parts up an octave, but that would be in the stratosphere, where bass clarinet isn't comfortable.
Finally, saxes have a nice, "easy" tone when you play loud. On bass clarinet, you have to work hard, and it often sounds forced. You can certainly try bass clarinet in the jazz band, but bari sax is loads of fun, and you'd fit right in.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-03-29 17:10
As far as playing multiple instruments is concerned, I'm with Ken on this one. Most of the best young musicians I've encountered played piano along with something else. (I wish I'd had the opportunity to start piano young but that's another story.) I started clarinet in 4th grade, bass clarinet in 7th and tenor sax in 9th or 10th and, IMHO, all complemented rather than detracted from each other. Also, my total practice time was undoubtedly greater than if I had stuck to one. I agree, however, that it makes sense to designate one or two "mainstream" instruments as your primary one(s).
I do disagree with a couple of Ken's minor points, however. Bass clarinet and tenor sax are both in the same general range -- an octave below soprano Bb clarinet -- so you can play tenor sax parts as written, not up an octave. As I see it, the bass clarinet is almost like a tenor sax with an extended range. Also, within the bounds of good taste ;^) , I don't agree that playing "loud" on a bass clarinet necessarily requires hard work or sounds forced. A good mouthpiece/reed setup should minimize that problem.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-03-29 17:23
Piano is good to learn along with a horn. And adding a new horn every few years might not be too much for a talented and dedicated student. But an eleven year old kid playing more than half a dozen different wind instruments? He'll never develope a proper embouchure unless he narrows his focus. Either his parents or his band director is asleep at the switch on this one.
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Author: Josh
Date: 2002-03-29 18:30
While I'm inclined to agree with everyone on the point of extremely young people playing many instruments, it must be pointed out that there *are* a few rare talents out there than can very easily handle that sort of thing. By the age of 16, I had held principal chairs in orchestras on clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon, violin, viola, and cello. I now play in 3 different orchestras (for money this time, amen and hallelujah!) as the principal bassoon in one, co-principal clarinet in one, and English horn in another.
I know this is very unusual, and it's certainly not something I would recommend for everybody, but it's quite possible that Roman might just be one of those people. Although, Roman, I do want to tell you that at your age, you really should cut down a little and develop some real facility on one or two horns, and decide whether you'd rather be a brass player or a woodwind player. The two don't mix very well. (I played French horn seriously for a period of time, and don't even ASK what happened when I tried to pick up a flute for a musical theatre performance.) However, I started my musical career on strings, so my experience was a little different. (It's a lot easier to switch back and forth between violin and viola than it is between clarinet and tuba )
Sorry to have been long winded...I guess basically I'm just saying that I see both points, and they're both good. Above all, though, good for you, Roman for having such a great and earnest interest in music at such a young age! Keep it up.
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Author: allencole@jamschool.net
Date: 2002-03-30 05:55
While it's true that bass clarinet can read tenor sax parts loco, it's also true that tenor sax parts are generally in a much higher tessitura and I find many of them uncomfortable on bass clar.
If joining jazz band, I recommend playing one of the saxes.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-03-30 15:30
6th grade? THAT many? Wow! I have competition!! (Haha. I was kidding.)
I took up the bass clarinets not that long after I took up soprano. Basses aren't that difficult. I don't think there's much fault in being well-rounded, seeing how I play brass myself. It's not so much the fingering patters messing up (As Ken said, those stay pretty secure in your head.) as it is trying to keep good tone on those instruments.
Try to find a center of balance (That is, your primary instrument(s)) Which ones take up the most priority? After all, if you play professionally, you don't want to find yourself as only a jack of all trades.
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