The Clarinet BBoard

The Ethnic Clarinet The C4 standard

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

Previous Message | Next Message

New here / intro

Author: leslieg
Date: 2004-01-12 06:25

Hello!

I am very happy to have found this list. (I didn't think to look for such a thing until tonight.) I am Leslie, I live in Austin, TX. My husband and I are avid international folk dancers. A few years ago I decided to "dust off" my old clarinet (unplayed for 20 years since high school) and I've been having a lot of fun ever since. It is a Noblet (I've no idea what model). My heart was immediately drawn to Greek (how I wish back in high school I knew the clarinet could do that -- I would have never stopped), but being in an international group my playing opportunties are (tunes from) all over Europe. I am now in a small band (me, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, accordian / saz?, upright bass) and we play Serbian, Croation, Greek, Bulgarian, and who knows what all else. I've been finding my style all on my own; the only guidance I've received is when I found out last year that "many" folk clarinetists use very soft reeds. I have had wonderful success with the Rico plasticover reed, currently at 2 1/2, but I just ordered some softer to see if that is even better.

I noticed a while ago Chris posted about playing brass band music on the clarinet. My bandleader forced me into this after we learned the dance "Hora Lautareasca" (a Coconiasa) last year at our annual Texas Folk Dance Camp. He wanted us to play it. I thought "great, how am I going to imitate a muted trumpet??". But I've always loved goofing around with the sounds I can make ... I played it "normal" at rehearsal, it was OK, then I got up the nerve to play a little of it in my "goof off" mode. Jaws dropped. I'm so happy that I get to play in a way I think is a lot of fun and people think it is really good! (Wow!) I guess it would be described as using a lot of verbrato. The accordian backs off a lot as I don't stay on the notes all that well ...

Questions: I know just about nothing about the clarinet. I have never taken lessons. I have been told I play consistantly flat. I also think I should get a second mouthpiece as many of the IFD tunes I do (e.g. Italian, Romanian) need a harder reed / cleaner sound, and having 2 mouthpieces with different reeds seems to make sense. I don't know where to begin to find a good mouthpiece (that fits and may help undo the flatness) -- I'd love to find one that helps me really bring out the ethnic sounds. I have a Vandorn V360 now.

Enough for now, except a final "drool". I was able to see Yuri Y & Ivo P. at the Texas Accordian festival a few months ago. I was also forturnate enough to get a small-group lesson (2 accordians and me) from Neshko (he tought us a Recenica he wrote). I'm glad the lesson was before their performance, or I never would have had the guts to sit in that room.

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics