 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Chris Ellison
Date: 2002-02-17 20:48
I have already seen this subject discussed in this forum but being as I didn't understand the answer (nor the question), I'm putting out my question in the hope that soemone will be kind enough to give me some indications as to what I am missing.
I have got hold of a Bb clarinet from my brother who no longer plays after losing his front teeth in a sporting accident. I have picked up the fingering from this great site, but...when I play a C below the stave and compare this with the C on the accordeon that my young son plays I am a full tone out. (Of course, this happens all the way long the scale, meaning that the lowest note I get out of the clarinet is a low D according to the accordeon).
I get the feeling that all of you out there in Clarinetland are going "What ! You didn't realise that ? " Quite frankly "No !" I am obviously missing something so obvious here that I need someone to hit me over the head with the answer so that it sinks in. I have played, Irish whistles, classical guitar etc; without coming across any clarinet player with a pb but then I didn't go reading their music either.
A short, concise answer would be greatly appreciated.
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Author: Eoin
Date: 2002-02-17 21:10
Hi Chris!
The clarinet comes in a number of different sizes: These all have the same fingering, but the bigger ones play lower notes and the smaller ones play higher notes. If you play the note with thumb, first, second and third finger of left hand down and everything else up, you will get an Eb on some clarinets, a Bb on others and a C on still others. There are also ones which will give you an F, an A or a D. All the other notes are shifted up or down as well. This presents a problem for the clarinetist, because he would have to learn different names for all the fingerings depending on which instrument he is playing. The way around this is to "transpose". This fingering is called C no matter what instrument it is on, and the music is adjusted by moving it up or down, so that the clarinet can pretend he is playing in the key of C. In fact, he may be playing in Eb, A, F or Bb, but he doesn't have to worry. Nowadays, the most common clarinet by far is the Bb instrument, where the music is written in C but sounds in Bb. The other clarinets still exist but are much rarer.
I hope this makes some sense.
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Author: Al Martin
Date: 2002-02-18 02:27
Just in case you didn't understand the previous explanation,
the clarinet is pitched in Bb -- one whole step below the accordian which is pitched in C. To compensate for this difference, the clarinet must play one note higher than the accordian to produce the the same resultant pitch, that is, to sound the same. Of course this applies to every note on the clarinet.
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Author: Torus Tubarius
Date: 2002-02-19 17:37
I would recommend not being flat.
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Author: saxy boy
Date: 2002-02-21 23:40
Here's an example to help you out.
Let's say the music that a band plays is in C. The flutes and oboes play as written, so when they see a written C, what they play is a C. The clarinet is pitched in Bb a whole tone lower than concert pitch, therefore it has play music written a whole note higher to make up the difference.For the clarinet to produce a C it must play a whole tone higher; a D.
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Author: Deshaun
Date: 2002-08-29 00:05
Hold it Flutes would have to be the same way, cuz arent the common ones pitched in Bb(althouhg its called a C Flute)?
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Author: Torus Tubarius
Date: 2002-09-08 00:46
Nope, your everyday run-of-the-mill flute is pitched in C.
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