Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2021-06-09 07:48
I have an alto clarinet in transit now to Stephen Fox in Canada, to have him extend it to low D. Should have sent it last year, but was afraid that it would get hung up in Customs. Finally bit the bullet and shipped it.
He has a lot of experience adding extensions, and I will have him overhaul the instrument as well. The cost will be lots more than $500, but still way less than the cost of a functional, used Basset Horn. The extension will be permanent. I will figure out a case later, but probably construct one myself for Bb, Eb, and extended alto clarinets.
Our clarinet quartet has a number of arrangements with Alto Clarinet or Basset Horn, and this will allow bringing one less instrument to gigs.
I talked about this with the manufacturers' reps for everyone with an alto clarinet at the 2018 Midwest Clinic in Chicago. Only the Yamaha people were willing to say what a good idea having a low D would be. But they haven't made one.
|
|