 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sprice
Date: 2015-05-18 02:24
After a good year or so of browsing, I finally made an account.
Nonetheless, I'm a freshman in high school, and currently play alto saxophone in band. Next year, a few others and I were planning on switching to soprano clarinet (as my band director complains about there being "too many altos," and some of us [including myself] can double on clarinet). However, when I found out my school has an old alto clarinet collecting dust, I opted in to play it next year. My director doesn't like the idea, and constantly reiterates "All the alto clarinettists are DEAD!" along with other criticisms.
My main argument is that there are no alto clarinettists, and there haven't been for a few decades in the county, hence why I should bring it back to life and make our band unique. Besides, almost all pieces the band plays call for an alto clarinet, and sometimes even solos and parts not doubled, typically found in older pieces. For the newer songs we play, which were made after the general expulsion of alto clarinets from standard concert band repertoire, I could double as a soprano clarinettist or bass clarinettist, as I have an alto/soprano stand and a separate bass stand.
The downsides are that the instrument is in need of new pads and tenon corks (since it was stored and maintained poorly over the years), and... well, my director and half the band hate me for wanting to play such an obscure, obsolete instrument. You'll probably get a better response from them by saying I'll be playing the French violin.
So, to you people here, what would you say on my becoming an alto clarinettist?
[insert witty quote here]
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2015-05-18 03:14
Play alto clarinet if you like. Each additional instrument improves your playing.
However, only the biggest bands have full-time players, and the parts are always doubled. You always play an inside line, like playing second violin or viola in a string quartet.
The instrument is soft. Most players are the "etc." clarinetists, put on alto so they can do little harm.
School altos are, as you have found, always in dreadful condition and are cheap instruments to begin with. School mouthpieces are beat to death, so at a minimum you'll need to spring for a good one - say, Grabner at $265 with ligature and cap http://www.clarinetxpress.com/altoclar.html.
if you go on to be a professional player, your calls to play alto will be few. You'll be better off learning Eb, bass or contra.
But once again, follow your dream.
Ken Shaw
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Author: LCL
Date: 2015-05-18 03:19
Our community band has an alto clarinet who has played the AC for over 55 years. She sits next to me and I play the Bass Clarinet. She does a good job but does suffer insults that all AC players seem to. Nevertheless, she and I play well together, and I believe in our case, the AC does add something to our band. So I encourage you to do what you want to do, provided your director will be OK with the decision and you can tolerate the criticism!
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2015-05-18 03:20
How about this as a selling point...
Tell your director that since so few alto clarinets make all-state, your chances are greatly enhanced when you become more proficient with the instrument.
Surely he's not opposed to having an (another) all-stater. Your success makes him look good with his peers. Then mention you want to play "Linconlshire Posy" by Grainger. Explain that's it's a slap to the face to Grainger by not using the original instrumentation.
~Robt L Schwebel
Mthpc: Behn Vintage
Lig: Ishimori, Behn Delrin
Reed: Legere French Cut 3.75/4, Behn Brio 4
Horns: Uebel Superior (Bb,A), Ridenour Lyrique, Buffet R13 (Eb)
Post Edited (2015-05-18 03:22)
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Author: sprice
Date: 2015-05-18 03:46
That's a very good point, Robert; I'll be sure to use that in my argument for the alto. (We don't get many all-staters, anyway.)
And yeah, Ken, I was looking at that exact mouthpiece myself. It's a bit out of my budget, but it's the only one I've found consistently positive reviews on. I'm a relatively serious clarinet player, so a mouthpiece isn't just something I slap on and start playing without thinking.
By the way, I can't figure out how to quote more than one post on here. Anyone able to instruct me on this?
[insert witty quote here]
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Author: Wisco99
Date: 2015-05-18 05:13
The alto saxophone is a vastly superior instrument because it was invented and did not just evolve. It is a very logical instrument based on the octave, plus it looks cool. The alto clarinet is probably dusty because it was being dried for future firewood. ..they burn longer than a standard B flat clarinet.
It is a little known fact that the alto clarinet was brought back to life in the movie Young Frankensterin, but Igor (pronounced eye gor) forgot to throw the 3rd switch and it became deformed. They had to cut that scene from the movie because the alto clarinet was more ugly and deformed than the monster. It is best to let dusty alto clarinets gather more dust. Eventually it will turn to dust itself.
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Author: derf5585
Date: 2015-05-18 05:47
Since we are also talking about saxes.
Why is the tenor sax so popular? It can be covered by the alto and bari sax.
I know it is part of the sax choir and the alto clarinet should be part of the clarinet choir.
fsbsde@yahoo.com
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Author: maxopf
Date: 2015-05-18 06:23
I got into the top CA all-state band on Bb clarinet this year. The conductor approached the clarinet section and asked "do any of you play alto clarinet?" Nobody raised their hand initially, so I decided to volunteer to learn it, and they brought me an instrument. Ended up playing all the alto cl solos in Lincolnshire Posy, which was fun. Playing a concert on an instrument you only started playing a day ago is a very interesting experience.
(The first instrument they brought me was this really nice Buffet alto, which had a great sound, but we quickly realized that it was almost a half-step sharp - wonder if it was an old high-pitch instrument or just had a leak somewhere. Ended up playing a not-so-great Vito, but it was still playable.)
Point is, since very few people play alto clarinet, it can be an asset when applying for state/local honor groups and stuff. It's also sort of a fun instrument - sort of bridges the gap between soprano and bass clarinet.
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Author: Wisco99
Date: 2015-05-18 07:57
derf,
The tenor sax is so popular because it has sax appeal. The bari sax is a strange piece of plumbing, heavy, and you never attract women with that hung of metal around your neck. The alto is ever so proper, and looks it. The tenor...ah the tenor is just the right size and shape with that great sexy sound to make you the star of the sax section. All the best solos in a big band are found in the 1st tenor book. Now compare a beautiful looking tenor sax with a dorky looking ultrageektron alto clarinet. I mean, they do not even make a gig bag for the alto clarinet, so obviously there are no gigs for it and it does not rate the coolness factor. Image is so important in the music biz.
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Author: BflatNH
Date: 2015-05-18 08:22
Before you do:
1. Know all the alto clarinet jokes (a few on old threads here)
2. Rename it 'an Eb, short range Basset Horn' and warm up with some Mozart BH Conc. riffs.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2015-05-19 00:25
If the band director doesn't want anyone to play the school's alto clarinet, why doesn't he get rid of it?
A band doesn't need an alto clarinet -- until it really does, for Lincolnshire Posy, Sketches on a Tudor psalm, Variants on a medieval tune, Suite Francaise, etc.
I support the idea of doubling Bb and alto as needed (I did so for one year in college); there's no such thing as being too versatile.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2015-05-19 17:06
wisco99 wrote,
> Now compare a beautiful looking tenor sax with a dorky looking ultrageektron alto clarinet. I mean, they do not even make a gig bag for the alto clarinet, so obviously there are no gigs for it and it does not rate the coolness factor.>
One of the best reasons to play alto clarinet! You can revel in individuality and smirk in the faces of all the cooler-than-thou conformists. (Yup, I've got my nerd credential: I own my own alto clarinet.)
But seriously, as davyyd writes,
>>I support the idea of doubling Bb and alto as needed (I did so for one year in college); there's no such thing as being too versatile.
>>
Okay, that's the *real* best reason. It's true there's always a danger of becoming "jack of all trades, master of none" if you jump around too much to give any one instrument adequate practice time, but for someone who already plays at least one single-reed wind, learning to double on alto clarinet doesn't involve a massive learning curve. Being able to double on as many instruments as possible opens up more opportunities for a musician as a student, as an amateur (me) or as a professional.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: William Hughes ★2017
Date: 2015-05-19 18:52
I played alto clarinet in band throughout high school (in the middle part of the last century). I enjoyed its mellow sound and also had the opportunity to play the bassoon part on the alto in the school orchestra whenever needed. Now I have evolved to the contra-alto as my weapon of choice, but I keep an alto tucked away in the closet in case the need (or desire) to play it might arise. Good luck.
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Author: azuka
Date: 2015-05-19 19:25
Alto clarinets have fallen into disfavor in the last 20 years or so. That is true. But if your band regularly plays pieces that call for it, then you have an excellent case.
I would recommend that you propose to your band director that you will be willing to play Bb soprano for all pieces that do NOT call for alto clarinet.
That way you aren't sitting idle, you sound like a team player, and he may find that he really likes the full instrumentation for the band. He might go for it.
I had a WONDERFUL LeBlanc alto clarinet that played beautifully. It looked like it came out of a garbage dump, but the sound was exquisite. I eventually sold it when there was never a call for me to play it in public. Plus I decided to only play soprano clarinet, and sent my Eb soprano, alto, and bass clarinets out to the Ebay junkyard.
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Author: justme
Date: 2015-05-20 09:06
Here's a good example of what an Alto Clarinet can sound like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_IA8K7xK8g
"A critic is like a eunuch: he knows exactly how it ought to be done."
CLARINET, n.
An instrument of torture operated by a person with cotton in his ears. There are two instruments that are worse than a clarinet -- two clarinets
Post Edited (2015-05-20 09:08)
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Author: Mirko996
Date: 2015-05-21 00:33
Then.. i want to say what i think...
Alto clarinet is one (with bass clarinet) the best clarinet i ever had and played...
But have a some of downsides...
i would like however tell the beatiful sides of alto clarinet...
Alto clarinet have a sound very incredible... the estension and the timbre omg...
alto clarinet could be semi-professional and have very great quality like Selmer Bundy: usualy the instrument made by bundy isn't good but alto clarinet is the only instrument that is worth spending and if you find less than $ 300 with a mouthpiece of vandoren or her take it absolutely because mouthpieces though they cost a lot...
and now i tell some downsides...
Normaly isn't used but isn't death... the man said that he said a giant bul****
because i know a great italian clarinettist and i think you know is Gianluigi Trovesi and play alto clarinet selmer. bass clarinet selmer and piccolo clarinet patricola rosenwood and he's very very very very incredible jazzist: i suggest to listen it because he's very nice man.
Alto clarinet however, if you need a instrument with very good quality you need to spent a lot... when i contact selmer for some information they said me the price (include vat was 7000) i.e. ins't cheap... buffet crampon i don't know how is the quality and i don't like it... amati krailser or leblanc... some are nice but some not at all...
If you repad all clarinet you must spent a lot because have a lot of pads to replace it...
you are lucky however because alto clarinet is commonly used in Usa and shopkeepers sell easly some accessories and reeds for alto clarinet... in italy is very hard to find some accesories..
However i suggest first to try some clarinet before buy it and he begins to study it : have fun with him because he's done to improvise at the end not so much classical music if not in some cases (like viktor tales and astol piazzola libertango...)
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