 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Matt
Date: 2002-09-17 16:38
I have been playing sax for the last 13+ years and would like to branch out into clarinet aswell. I have some questions that I would appreciate some help with.
What is a good beginners clarinet ? what price should I pay ?
What is a good intermediate clarinet ? what price should I pay ?
How different are the fingerings on clarinet compared to the sax ?
In the world of saxes, in my experience, the vintage models (eg old selmers, Bueschers, Kings, Conn etc ..) seems to be more sought after, is this true in the world of clarinets aswell ?
Is there a top make/model that most clarinet players feel is the best professonal model to get hold of ? (again in the sax world the Selmer MKVI seems to be the most highly rated sax models and these were made between 1954 and 1974/75)
Thanks
Matt
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Author: javier garcia
Date: 2002-09-17 16:48
Hi Matt, I don't play sax, so I cannot answer some of your questions.
the main brands are Buffet, Leblanc, Selmer and Yamaha (only alphabetic order) and they have all levels models, from beginners to professionals. The big music house have almost all of their instruments, as IMS or WW&BW. hope this helps.
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-09-17 16:51
About fingerings, the greatest difference is the octave/register key. If I remember, the thumb key on a sax raises the pitch an octave (am I right?). On a clarinet, the equivalent "register" key raises the pitch a 12th -- F/C, G/D, A/E and so forth.
All your other questions can inspire a great amount of debate, especially the one about the top professional model. In general, though, they're the Buffet R13, Leblanc Opus, Selmer Signature and the Yamaha (I think -- sorry, don't know much about Yamahas) YCL-650, plus several specialty makes.
Here's one bare-bones guide I've referred to about clarinet makes. There are others out there that I'm sure other users will point to.
http://www.tishkoff.com/articles/instruments.htm
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-09-17 22:43
Yep Ralph G. you're right. Saxes have an octave key. Most sax fingerings are like the clarion register on clarinet. Sax players can have a more difficult time adjusting to the lower-note fingerings, because of the 12th difference between registers.
Another thing about the sax to clarinet direction. It's generally seen as being a lot easier to switch from clarinet to sax. When going from sax to clarinet, you MUST remember that while both use single reeds, the clarinet is another beastie. Mp position in mouth is the first thing. Think down, not out. Also the embouchure required for clarinet is much firmer. Usually on sax you're playing really loose, and that typically won't work on clarinet.
In terms of instruments, go for any of the basic beginner horns by Buffet, Selmer, Leblanc, or Yamaha. As far as intermediate horns, I think Buffet's (B12) and Leblanc's (Vito) are better. I didn't care for the Yamaha 72 I tried recently, and while Selmer makes great pro horns, I think their intermediate ones aren't as good as the Buffet E11-E13 or the Leblancs.
The beginner horns are usually around $300-$400, and the intermediate horns are anywhere between $500-$1000. These are prices like at WW&BW...
Katrina
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-09-18 17:22
In the clarinet world older horns are not generally sought after. I mean, some are - but usually not. They just don't 'age' like some of the older saxes seem to.
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Author: Malaya
Date: 2002-09-18 21:55
you should be more worried about embouchure changes, rather than fingering difficulties... clarinet embouchure is not as loose as sax, and you must tighten your lower jaw. (don't let it drop as much.) the difficulty within the note ranges is backwards from that of sax, in that higher notes are harder to play than lower notes. i went from clarinet to sax about 2 years ago, so this advice is just my personal experience. (i'm also a sophomore in HS, so it might not be as useful to someone who has played for 13 years.)
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