 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2011-09-08 07:31
I've been asked to dep in a local community orchestra on Eb clarinet, as well as Bb/A. I don't own an eefer and have been lent one by the orchestra. I've given it a toot and found it a lot of fun, but there are a few bits of advice I could do with before rehearsals start properly.
The instrument is a Buffet R13 with Vandoren B44 mouthpiece. There are a couple of Vandoren Blue box 2.5 reeds in the case which I have been using just to play with, but I find them a bit on the soft side. On Bb/A I normally use Vandoren M30 mpc and Rico Grand Concert Select Evolution 3.5 reeds. I want to buy a few spare reeds, any suggestions on strength? Obviously as a loan intrument that I only have for a couple of months I'm not going to buy a mouthpiece.
The chalumeau & clarion registers seem to be reasonably OK tuning-wise, (when I remember that my fingers are closer together), but the altissimo is very flat, if it sounds at all. Is this an eefer charcteristic or is it me?
The orchestra is playing Carmina Burana. I haven't yet seen the music. Are there any traps that I will fall into?
Any other general e flat advice?
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-09-08 08:35
I haven't played Carmina Burana. But, I am an Eb clarinet player. The altissimo is the hardest thing to develop on the Eb tuning wise as you have to be very sensitive to the intervals, and your voicing. The number 1 key to remember is do not bite, whatever you do. Eb is a clarinet that you should experiment with trick fingerings to certain notes, too many to name. For E, F, and F# though if you use the basic fingerings definitely add the right hand sliver key because those notes tend to play extremely flat on the Eb. The high G basic fingering usually works ok, I actually play it too sharp on my horn. The biggest thing is just use your ear. It's easier said than done, but it's even more so with the Eb. As far as the reeds go, I'd try going a strength higher maybe 3 or even 3.5. That will definitely help with pitch in the upper register, but it's really all about voicing up there. Other people will have much more to comment on, but those are my suggestions.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-09-08 15:30
Don't forget when you add the right hand sliver key in the altissimo to pull your finger far to the right --right up against the key's pivot so that your fingertip doesn't press down the spectacle key and close the top pad above your right forefinger.
My teacher's sliver key plating is worn off near the privot from doing that.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Justin Willsey ★2017
Date: 2011-09-08 15:39
One of the numbers in Carmina Burana has the E Flat (mostly in the clarion register, I believe) doubling a vocal soloist. As I recall, these spots are fairly exposed, and raise the fun issue of E flat clarinet intonation.
With each Eb mouthpiece, it's good to see if Bb reeds that have had the heel chopped off respond better than the regular Eb reeds. On some mouthpieces, that will be the case, depending on the curvature of the reed tip and that of the tip rail.
Good luck and have fun!
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Author: davyd
Date: 2011-09-08 19:06
You might want to consider buying a mouthpiece as an investment. If you do well, you might well get the call the next time there's a part for Eb, and you would already have a mouthpiece you like.
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Author: William
Date: 2011-09-08 19:23
Regarding mpcies, I have two yhat work well for me--especially in that altissimo range you wrote about. Selmer HS** vintage & a Charles Bay "custom" that he sent me 15 yrs ago. I also use cut-down Bb reeds--better tone quality and response in the upper register.
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Author: 2E
Date: 2011-09-10 06:50
I've just finished playing Eb in Carmina Burana,
There's one extremely fast tongued passage with all the winds playing pretty much in unison. Flutes and piccolo double tongued it, clarinets attempted two slurred, two tongued articulation, I just slurred it on Eb. It goes pretty high in the register, overblow throat F# to get high C# and overblow open G to get high D in that passage. You'll know it when you see it (think its in number 3 or 4) and the rest of the part is pretty easy.
Cut off some Bb reeds of the same strength you normally play on and they should work fine on the Vandoren B44, its a pretty good Eb mp.
Good luck!
2E.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2011-09-10 12:50
Vandoren suggests 2.5-4 strength reeds on that mouthpiece.
http://www.vandoren.fr/en/clarineteb.html
Peter Hadcock's book is an excellent resource on Eb. It has a number of great fingerings.
http://www.vcisinc.com/clarinetmusicexcerpts.htm#C036
As others have mentioned, one of the keys to Eb is to get the pitches in your ear. One of the best things to do is run your regular warm ups and etudes and get used to the instrument in sound, feel and pitch. Spend time with the tuner.
If you plan on doing regular Eb playing, get your own mouthpiece so that even if you borrow an instrument you will have a comfortable set up that is familiar. I like Clark Fobes mouthpiece. For a less expensive option, the Hite is very good.
As to reeds, finding the right strength is key. They need to be light enough so it speaks freely and you don't have to bite, but still with enough wood that the high register will be supported and not go flat.
Enjoy. The Eb can be a lot of fun.
Post Edited (2011-09-10 17:28)
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Author: Clarimeister
Date: 2011-09-10 17:44
Another great book for fingerings for any kind of clarinet is Tom Ridenour's Clarinet Fingerings book. Fantastic book for all the altissimo notes up to really high E. Tried some of the alternates for Eb and it works great!
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-09-10 21:01
Good suggestion cutting off some back on your Bb reeds. Best way to do that is to use a small branch trimmer that you can buy almost anyplace. One used to twigs not large branches. Our Eb player, and many others, use the Vandoren German cut Bb reed, they fit the Eb MP perfectly if you're not successful with using regular Bb reeds, as I do. I have a fingering chart on my web page which have many fingerings that will also work well on the Eb clarinet. Every clarinet and every player has different tendencies. The best advise, play by ear. I know on my Buffet Eb I finger a high A to get a good G# in tune, I just relax on it and there it is. That's just an example for you. What do I do for high A you ask, I lip it up or add the "sliver" key in the LH on my clarinet, or depress the Bb-Eb side key or lift the second finger in my RH, it's on my chart. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: clarinetwizard
Date: 2011-09-25 09:25
I know this is an older post but I actually played the Eb in Carmina Burana  I loved it, not too hard. Still remember playing it and it was almost 10 years ago!
As far as moutpieces go, I just used the one that came with my clarinet. For reeds, I used vandoren (sp?? it is 5:30AM so sorry for spelling errors) and tried them out until I found the right one that did the job for me.
as for playing the instrument, I played my heart out. I remember tightening my lower lip more so than with my Bb clarinet to get some of the notes out.
p.s. Sop. Sax reeds work wonders! My high school band teacher taught me that when I had a solo for Holst Eb Suite for Military Band when I ran out of reeds for a concert!
gl
another good piece for Eb clarinet is Bolero (sp??)
owner of blythpost.com
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2011-09-25 18:20
My chair mate in the marching band I play with plays on a good LeBlanc Eb clarinet that tunes very well throughout the register(don't know the mouthpiece but it's Vandoren or Selmer or some machine made one) but she has to pull out the barrel by about 2-3mm to tune at 442 and that makes everything in tune except open Bb,A,Ab,G,F#,F and even E. You know you can't just pull out 1mm at the barrel and 1mm at the middle joint to make the throat tones more even since the Eb clarinet body is in one piece.
How do you guys deal with this problem ?
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