The Doublers BBoard

The Doublers BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Re: Clarinet vs sax issues

Author: gsurosey
Date: 2010-08-18 21:36

The things I find toughest about sax playing are:

~ The structural differences. I have a hard time with the side keys in the left hand (right hand also, but not nearly as much). I'm trying to figure out how to hit them without having to hold stuff down with the right hand so as not to drop my sax. I feel like I have to twist my left hand in strange ways to hit them (and that's before I try to hit combinations of them). Being that the sax bore is wider than clarinet, I also feel somewhat like a contortionist hitting the side keys on the right side. I didn't think it was a big difference at first, but the thumb rest placement tends to throw me off still. I'm used to the clarinet spacings. I still have to look sometimes to make sure my RH fingers are on 3 keys, not 2 keys and the keycup covering the tone hole above the first-finger key.

~ Blending is tougher. Dynamically speaking, I always feel I'm really loud on sax no matter how I try to play.

~ Intonation. That open c# is killer if tuning is off. I have such a hard time consistently tuning sax. My upper notes also tend to be in better tune than my lower notes.

The thing I dislike about clarinet compared to the rest of the stuff that I play is the overblowing at the 12th vs. the octave thing. On sax, it amazes me that when I hit the register key, it's an octave (as well as overblowing on flute/piccolo). Ah, the joys of a cylindrical vs. conical bore...

That's my 2 cents.

Rachel

----------
Rachel

Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics