 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jody
Date: 2002-10-03 23:00
My wife has started playing the clarinet again after many years of off time. I play a mandolin. The question I am desperately needing an answer on is... How can we play together? When she plays a C on the clarinet using a tuner it comes out a Bb Why? Someone told me that our clarinet is Bb instrument. What do you have to do on the clarinet to play a C and have it sound like a C on a piano or any other instrument?
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-10-03 23:34
Yep - she owns a B flat clarinet - it is a "transposing instrument".
When it plays a C - it comes out B flat.
You have a couple of options (one expensive the other frustrating).
1) buy a C clarinet for you wife (a nice gift indeed) and then your problem is solved as she'll not need to transpose
2) transpose the melody (whatever) up a major second (whole tone) and then she'll play it and sound right.
C clarinets are expensive, but there are "student" models around which are very good, I understand. I've only ever played a professional model C clarinet - they have a nice, bright sound.
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Author: Jody
Date: 2002-10-04 00:19
Yep kinda what i figured. Dang! Thanks for the info. Guess she's going to get good at transposing notes. Maybe I can tune down! Anyway I really appreciate the help. This has been driving me crazy!
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-10-04 00:28
I'm not a mandolin player but I wonder if they have "arch" or "trigger" capos designed for them like guitars?
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-10-04 00:35
Jody - don't despare - C clarinets occasionally come up on eBay, also, if you live near a big city - the local music store might be able to put you on a waiting list, should a second-hand or used one come in. This could save you money. If transposing is your only option - then there is computer software around that will help you with this, too. If you'd like further details about software - I'd be only to happy to help - just send - me an email!
thanks - diz, Sydney
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-10-04 01:50
Since your wife is starting up again after an extended vacation, she has enough to handle without adding transposition. Nothing wrong with tuning the mandolin down to the clarinet's pitch. Tuning down won't change the fingerboard patterns at all and is far less expensive than buying another horn.
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Author: Pam
Date: 2002-10-04 02:19
Diz's idea about purchasing some software to help transpose songs so you can play together is a good one. There are several out there in different price ranges.
Ron is right too, transposing "on the fly" isn't going to happen right away either if she's just getting started again. It's something that takes some getting used to, that's for sure! I've been playing again for about 3 years now and thankful I don't have to transpose much on sight.
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Author: KayR
Date: 2002-10-04 16:30
The other option is to get music designed for both C and B-flat instruments to play together. Piano and clarinet duet music would work...or flute and clarinet...or violin and clarinet/trumpet.
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Author: Eileen
Date: 2002-10-04 20:34
Kyser makes a mandolin capo priced about the same as a guitar capo.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-10-05 13:53
A capo raises the pitch. We reaqlly need it lowered. A diminished seventh is a long way to raise with a capo!
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-10-06 22:47
A Bb mandolin, that's the ticket! <;-)
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