 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Amanda
Date: 2003-12-12 23:20
Hey I'm a sophmore in High School and i want to know more about the alto clarinet, How hard is it to play? Do many people play it? Let me know if you have any information?
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Author: Lani
Date: 2003-12-12 23:57
my friend plays the alto clarinet and she says its reallly hard
but i dont really kno in my opinion
Lani
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Author: Theboy_2
Date: 2003-12-13 06:28
I have heard, since i've never played the instrument, that it is difficult to keep it in tune. but that would be the challenge that would make that instrument fun to play.
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Author: Dirk
Date: 2003-12-16 13:51
Hi!
Usually I play alto or baritone saxophone but sometime I double on a LeBlanc Model 300 alto clarinet. It plays fine and the embouchure is more like playing alto sax than playing the normal Bb soprano clarinet.
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Author: Art
Date: 2004-01-06 01:33
I started on Bb then moved to alto for about a decade. Of all the range of clarinets alto is my favorite.
On the plus side, it covers the range of the basset horn...basically the first "clarinet" For me this was a plus because it covered the same area as my natural voice and there is something to the notion of singing through ones instrument. As well the upper registers are much more "useable" that the equivalent notes on Bb.
One other nice thing is they usually have a G# key for both little fingers so you don't have to worry about cross fingering over the break.
With a good reed and mouthpiece they make the most delkicious rich dark mysterious sound.
On the other hand..... They are considerably more difficult to play, not because of fingering but because of several common "stuffy" notes...so you really need good breath support to make a scale sound even.
And one other oddity is switching back to Bb isn't as easy as you would think. The embouchure is totally different and if you want to play both you will havew to practice both equaly to keep the muscles in shape!
Fingering on the other hand...seems like childs play when you switch back. The alto has your hands splayed out wider on heavier clunkier keys, so if you are nimble on the alto you'll be lightening on the Bb!
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