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Coming from saxophone

Author: SilverSonic
Date: 2013-05-11 14:22

Hello all. First post here. Been lurking for a while.

I've had a wooden Bundy Bb clarinet for about 10 years. I played it a few times over the years, but only recently have been taking it seriously.

I have been really enjoying the tone of the clarinet, and also that I can play it without the volume of the saxophone, therefore not bothering people in the house.

I've been playing saxophone, sometimes professionally, for the past 30 years.

The break is what I've been working on lately.

I did take my horn in to get a pad replaced and played it in front of the tech to try it out after. He was very happy with the tone I was getting. I'm playing on a Hite "Premiere".

I have noticed that playing with the clarinet facing down has a better tone, and also I can work through the break better.

Other than a few things I've mentioned, any other things to look out coming from a fairly decent sax player who wants to get the clarinet under my fingers?

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Re: Coming from saxophone

Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-05-11 14:43

Get the embouchure nailed - so many sax-to-clarinet players tend to play with a loose embouchure, but the clarinet embouchure is more developed than sax, so you will definitely benefit working out on clarinet.

You should be able to play up to pitch with the full length barrel instead of having it shortened which also happens often, but this has far more negative effect on the intonation than benefits.

Also find the best clarinet teacher with plenty of solo or orchestral playing experience in your area for some lessons - not just on embouchure training and tone production, but also to show you some other tricks and shortcuts that most fingering charts don't.

For going across the break, play intervals across the break from open G - throat Bb going to B - F in the upper register (and keep repeating them), but keep the right hand fingers held down for the upper note of the interval as that will add resonance to the throat notes plus you'll also have the upper note prepared (as you can do with open C# to upper D on saxes by playing C# as 8ve oox|xxx and D as 8ve xxx|xxx - just by lifting and closing LH fingers 1 and 2). Practice slowly until you can do the intervals across the break smoothly without any lumps, then gradually build up the speed.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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