Author: mark.pinner
Date: 2020-10-18 07:09
I have spent a good part of a 40+ year professional career doubling, although alto/tenor saxes and bassoon are my main instruments. By doubling I mean professional theatre mainly playing reeds 1 or 2; or 4 and 5. I have enough horns to handle most, and can beg, or borrow, for anything else. Outside of theatre, lead alto, lead tenor, and baritone, doubling clarinet, and flute. My own small group gigs are usually alto/tenor, and either flute, or clarinet. You have to know how to practise, what tactics work; you also need to have some idea of your limitations. This might apply to working out how to make something work better, and more reliably; or pulling your head out of your arse, and not letting your ego get in the way of your ability (we have all done this at some stage). The real art to theatre work is getting the consistency that's needed to be able to play the same show 8 times a week, without anyone noticing if you make a mistake, for months at a time; and being able to dep for someone reliably.
Current inventory includes, and is not limited to.
Saxes
Soprano Yamaha 475, which I can make work, and fool most people. I also have a 1925 Conn, which doesn't even fool me!
Alto Main horn is Selmer Mark VII, back up Buescher 400
Tenor Selmer Mark VII
Baritone 1964 Conn
C Melody Pan American 1931
Clarinets
Bbs main horn very old Yamaha 20 key Oehler, back up Custom Yamaha 24 key Oehler
Eb Richard Keilwerth
Bass F. Arthur Uebel low C Oehler system
I have others, and I seldom play A clarinet, because in that sort of music, opera mainly, I play bassoon.
Bassoon
Moosman Orchestra Model
Flute
De Zhou silver C foot
Martin Freres wooden concert flute
Yamaha 62 piccolo ( I would advise doublers to get the one with the lip-plate riser.
As I said, I have more instruments.
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