 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sian
Date: 2006-05-12 21:58
Hi everybody -
I was just wondering how the range of sax's compare to the range of clarinets. I have seen lots of music from films etc written for sax and wondered if I could use the music for clarinet. I assume that the soprano sax would be the closest as it covers the soprano range and is pitched in Bb like the clarinet whereas the alto sax is in Eb(?). I have not learnt to play the sax as yet although I would like to try it one day!
What do people think?
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Author: hans
Date: 2006-05-12 22:31
sian,
Re: "....music from films etc written for sax and wondered if I could use the music for clarinet", the clarinet has a greater range than the sax so that this should not be a problem if you are playing by yourself. If you are playing in a group it may not produce the desired result, since the sound is so different.
Regards,
hans
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2006-05-13 01:15
because the clarinet overblows at the 12th, it has one of the largest ranges of any instrument (around 4.5 ovtaves, I believe). The saxophone, flute, and piccolo on the other hand have just 3.
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-05-13 04:57
As far as the range - everything for soprano saxophone can be played on clarinet, and everything for alto saxophone also except for the lowest note (Bb on the alto).
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-05-13 18:24
Pitches? The only pitch I mentioned was the Bb of the alto sax, and that was alto sax Bb, and not concert pitch.
By the way, soprano sax music (especially in films) is unlikely to have much under D so the clarinet will almost not play at all in its really great lower register!
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Author: pewd
Date: 2006-05-13 18:28
a clarinet's range is approximately 3.5 octaves, not 4.5
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: eskil
Date: 2006-05-13 19:37
Author: eskil
Basically, yes, using sax sheet music for a clarinet works just fine, I do that sometimes, using an alto clarinet because it is pitched in Eb just as an alto sax, and sounds about right (different, but about right).
But the idea of finding sax sheet music written for soprano sax (in Bb, that is) so that you can play it on a Bb clarinet? Most of the sax sheet music I find is written for alto sax (Eb). Could be a problem, perhaps?
Also, since the fingerings are different, some stuff that is easy to play on a sax might be difficult on a clarinet. Then again, what is difficult on a sax might be easy on a clarinet, so it might not matter much. Could be something to think about, though.
And last, the way the sheet music is written for a sax, it never reaches far below the lowest line in the staff - the lowest note is the Bb right below the first helper line below the staff. So if you like playing in the deep end of the chalumeau register on the clarinet, you will be disappointed, the sax sheet music never goes there.
/E
Rock'n roll clarinet is deeply underestimated, and rightly so.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-05-13 19:42
An Eb alto sax low Bb = a Bb clarinet's low Eb (but sounding concert pitch Db)
But clarinets generally only go to low E (apart from full Boehms and some others) so they're a semitone short at the bottom compared to alto saxes - but clarinets will go much higher than alto (and soprano) saxes, so most Eb alto sax music once transposed (down a perfect 5th) will be playable on clarinet, as long as no low Bbs appear on the alto sax part.
Here's a transposition chart:
Eb Alto sax...............Bb Clarinet...........Concert Pitch
Bb........................Eb....................Db
B.........................E.....................D
C.........................F.....................D#/Eb
C#/Db.....................F#/Gb.................E
D.........................G.....................F
D#/Eb.....................G#/Ab.................F#/Gb
E.........................A.....................G
F.........................A#/Bb.................G#/Ab
F#/Gb.....................B.....................A
G.........................C.....................A#/Bb G#/Ab.....................C#/Db.................B
A.........................D.....................C
A#/Bb.....................D#/Eb.................C#/Db
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2006-05-14 21:20
I think that skilled sax and clarinet players can hit notes that are well beyond the normal range of the instruments --making the total range of both instruments very dependent upon the performer.
I've been blown away by the clear super altissimo notes that can be squeezed out of both horns.
Bob Phillips
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-05-15 05:00
Bob is right. We had Robert Spring was here, and wheather you like his playing or not (I do) you have to be impressed with his technique, and he played up to high F, octave above altisimo F, making the clarinet just above 4 octaves.
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Author: diz
Date: 2006-05-16 06:47
A clarinetist who can play 4.5 octaves?? I'd like to hear that, that's for sure!!
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2006-05-17 22:54
4.5 haha. I think that I meant 3.5... 4.5 would be insane.
Here's a question What is the range of the entire clarinet family if you 'add' them all together?
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: diz
Date: 2006-05-18 08:58
Claude Debussy once said of the saxophone " ... sounds like a lawn mower"
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-05-18 09:23
"Here's a question What is the range of the entire clarinet family if you 'add' them all together?"
I'll have a go.
Leblanc had the range of their lineup in their catalogues, here's the lowest and highest notes (BBBb octo contrabass to Ab sopranino):
14.568Hz (BBBb octo-contrabass' low C sounding BBBb concert - almost an octave below the piano's lowest A) to 3322.4Hz (Ab sopranino's altissimo C - sounding Ab concert below the piano's highest C)
So it's 7.7 octaves for the entire clarinet family - a whole tone short of 8 octaves.
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Author: Markus Wenninger
Date: 2006-05-18 18:11
The soprano cl in Bb covers more than 4 full octaves - it´s just that music which doesn´t make it out of the locked-in-syndrom of tonality just stops short at 3 octaves, at most. The clarinet´s ambitus is comparatively bigger than the saxophone´s solely because the cl extends to low E, whereas the saxophone ends at Bb (or A with the bari s). The individual cl´s or sax´s ambitus can vary considerably, though, e.g. does the complete possible range of the tenor cl (the "bassethorn") contain more tones than the bcl´s, which, on the other hand, can be pushed into higher altissimo regions than even the soprano cl in Bb. It´s true that the overall range of all the cl family is the most extensive of all windinstruments. (By the way, the woodwind BBoard´s fingering guide for the saxophones provides extremely well working options for nearly 4 octaves, and the top tones for the soprano cl are very reliably as well. Try them.
Markus
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