Author: Melanie
Date: 1999-08-16 02:45
I have played alto clarinet for a while, along with bass and contra. In this time, I have realized that while the horn may be at fault, reeds make a big difference in the volume of lower clarinets. On alto clarinet, I used alto sax reeds. The softer the better. On bass, tenor sax; on contra, bari reeds.
Kontragirl: it's really not the best idea to play alto clarinet parts on contra-alto. From experience, the alto clarinet lines generally follow the saxes, french horns, and occasionally the euphonium high parts. Alto clarinet is a harmony instrument in the mid range. Contra-alto is a low voice meant for bass lines in music. Playing alto parts on a contra places the harmony line in the wrong register. In high school, my band was cautioned by a guest conductor to put the contra on bari sax parts or tuba parts unless there was a contra part.
Just some advice from someone who has been there and done that!
Melanie
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The Clarinet BBoard
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