 The Doublers BBoard
|
Author: packrat
Date: 2009-06-11 02:42
I'm playing in a musical productions of Peter and the Wolf. I have a solo in the middle of the first act on tenor sax. I'm not a sax player normally, but have been asked to cover the part. Up to that point I'm playing clarinet almost continuosly, so I don't really have an opportunity to put the sax mouthpiece in my mouth to keep it wet for over 30 minutes. The reed is drying out and warping. Since the first note of the solo is a low D and I'm not used to the horn, I have a hard time getting the note to come out cleanly if the reed is not moist. I don't have time to take the mouthpiece off and/or soak the reed between songs. I don't even have time to put the mouthpiece back on if I were to remove it. I'm fine after the first four measures but does anyone have any suggestions or "tricks" I might be able to use.
Packrat
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: davyd
Date: 2009-06-11 04:15
Welcome to doubling. This kind of situation is not unusual.
About the only thing I can suggest is: find passages in the earlier sections with enough rests before and after them that you can switch to the tenor and back again, and play that/those passage(s) up an octave.
Or maybe use a plastic reed on the tenor?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Claireinet
Date: 2009-06-13 00:01
My first thought was too keep the sax reed soaking in water and put it on before you play, but it doesn’t sound like you have enough time for that. Could still work though if you soak the reed and put it on the mouthpiece during a break close to your sax solo (rather than immediately proceeding it).
The other thing that came to mind is something I’ve heard about but never actually tried, and that would be putting a sponge on the inside of the mp cap so that it rests on the reed. No reed adjustments would be needed. I would think you could just thoroughly soak the sax reed before the show, test that it works well, and then put the dampened sponge-mp-cap on to retain the moisture somewhat until you play.
Also, what exactly is that trick with hanging a towel in the bell of a sax? To the best of my memory it only affects the low notes -- but I can’t remember if its only for helping play low softer or if it might help you by letting you use more air on that opening d (which potentially might make you more comfortable playing it after having to let the instrument sit for 30 some minutes) …. I’m not really a sax player - does that excuse my ignorance?
Hope something helps
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: rcnelson
Date: 2009-06-15 16:42
I have had shows where there has been 30+ minutes of the tenor sitting on its stand before I have to play it, but the reed never warps. And I'm sure somewhere in that 30 minutes you would have 10-15 seconds somewhere to pick it up, stick it in your mouth, put it back down and continue on clarinet.
I usually soak my reeds prior to a performance and get a good enough warmup routine then keep the reed cap on the mouthpiece/reed so that the reed does not dry out. It's obviously dryer than before the show, but never totally dried out and never warped.
Ron
Selmer Mark VI tenor (1957), Selmer Mark VII alto (1975)
Buescher True Tone soprano (1924), Selmer CL210 Bb Clarinet, Gemeinhardt 3SHB Flute, Pearl PFP105 Piccolo
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jeremy
Date: 2009-11-27 01:44
Hey!
So, my mentor had me start soaking my single reeds 24/7 and it's worked out really well. They're never really effected by climate changes, because they are at their total saturation point. You take whatever reeds you're using, put them in a mason jar filled with cold water, close it and put it in the fridge. The reeds will go into a "coma" eventually by sinking to the bottom of the jar. That's when they're ready to use. I always rinse the reeds and I change the water as well: Sometimes it gets a little cloudy since your saliva can cause them to break down a bit.
Some people find this method doesn't work, but I've had an overwhelming success. You can also store the reeds in the plastic reed protector while you soak them. This is very handy when touring and traveling to gigs.
Hope this helps!
~J
Instruments: Flute, Oboe, EH, Clarinet, Bassoon, Saxophones
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-03-18 01:38
Here's an idea that may work...play the solo on clarinet? After all, tenor and clarinet are both pitched in Bb.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2010-03-18 02:29
Clarinet&Alto15 wrote:
> Here's an idea that may work...play the solo on clarinet? After
> all, tenor and clarinet are both pitched in Bb.
I hope you weren't serious. (sadly, I think you were)
Since when do YOU decide which instrument the arranger wanted in a particular passage?
If you can't manage keeping a few instruments ready to play when needed, then you shouldn't be playing in the pit for a show.
...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-03-18 02:37
I didn't say I managed it. If he truly doesn't have enough time and the reed is warped, I don't see how it would be wrong. I have never taken such liberties myself however. The part would still be covered. Bear in mind I am no professional. I'm in high school. Hardly an excuse, but in the past production of hello dolly (which was VERY successful) the entirety of reed 3 was covered by a clarinet player, because he did not know how to play tenor. So it may be uncouth, but it is certainly not that far off
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-03-18 02:41
And thank you very much, I played alto and clarinet and covered reed 2 with what was called for when it was called for. I am not arguing your point, but there is a vast difference between professional theatre where doublets are payed and high school, where doublers are a rarity.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2010-03-18 02:53
Clarinet&Alto15 wrote:
> Bear in mind I am no professional. I'm in high school
That explains it.
>So it may be uncouth, but it is certainly not that far off
Yes...it is far off.
With your logic, why not play the "Bottle Dance" in Fiddler on tenor sax since they are pitched in the same key?
Either way, it is a wrong and up to the director of the show (if he cares) to find players who can play the correct instruments when needed. If the school budget does not cover hiring a few pros for a nominal fee (as many schools do) then the alternative is to split the book among students who can play the different instruments.
The score will then sound close to as it was first intended.
Otherwise you have a very poor high school attempt at doing a show which is musically over your head.
...GBK (former HS band dirctor)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Clarinet&Alto15
Date: 2010-03-18 03:19
Well, it was not a poor attempt. We usually do not hire pros because ordinarily we have full instrumentation. We played the music exceedingly well and had a wonderful show with but one substitution, which is more than can be said for most high schools going off of their own student musicians. I want to make clear that as a high school freshman I don't have much knowledge of theory, but I do know that what I said does not hold true in all cases. The bottle dance analogy was a good counter reference. I would just like to say that if you were looking to stimulate some sort of confrontation here on the forums, I won't engage because we are each entitled to our thoughts. I am glad there are moderators here that are so experienced and knowledgeable, and I really mean that.
Post Edited (2010-03-18 03:21)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: mikeW
Date: 2010-03-18 16:04
I realize this is low-tech, but I've had pretty good success keeping reeds moist by picking up horns and wetting the reeds with saliva between numbers and then replacing the mpc cap until I need the horn. The only reeds I do not keep attached to the instrument for the entire performance, barring the need to change a reed, are oboe reeds.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
