 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-12-25 06:50
If you use a close tip opening on soprano (eg. Selmer C* or Yamaha 4C), then you can start with the same or similar tip opening or slightly closer.
If you use something like a Selmer E or a Link 6* or 7* on soprano, you should start with a considerably closer tip opening clarinet mouthpiece. And with that, you can use a harder reed on clarinet than you use on soprano sax - maybe a full strength harder than on soprano, but that depends on the mouthpiece. You might even find your soprano reeds will also work fine with a specific clarinet mouthpiece and that'll save you having to buy clarinet reeds.
With the upper and altissimo registers on clarinet, you're working to keep the pitch up compared to soprano sax where you're working to keep the pitch down in the upper register. The upper register fingerings on clarinet from D up to B are the same as on soprano sax - that's the only similarity as far as fingerings go between the two instruments.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Pokenerd
Date: 2022-12-25 09:11
Just remember that soprano saxophone is a different instrument than a clarinet. A lot of things will be very similar be sure to do things like the angle of the mouthpiece you put into your mouth differently.
When I first tried bass clarinet I played it like a saxophone; didn't work out great.
Minjun
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Author: RKing
Date: 2022-12-26 17:57
There are some significant differences in the finger work needed and the embouchure between the sax and the clarinet.
The embouchure is tighter on the clarinet. We think "frown" when we play the sax - and we have to change that to a "smile" on the clarinet. The lower lip must be tighter on the clarinet. It's not as bad from soprano sax, but it's a big change going from the tenor sax.
As mentioned, the clarion register from C5 to C6 is basically the same between the two instruments, but the "octave key" on the sax is a "register key" on the clarinet and will jump a 12th instead of an octave.
The pinky fingers don't have to work as hard on the sax. We have the Table notes for the left pinky and only a few notes for the right pinky finger on our saxophones. And sadly, we lose our palm keys and some of the cool shortcuts we can use on the sax don't exist on the clarinet. The clarinet introduces a whole new world of complexity for the little fingers. There are four or five notes on each side, plus there are ways to play the same note with either the left or right finger, depending on which notes come before or after the particular note. It's not so bad in the key of "C", but sightreading is a lot more challenging in the keys with multiple sharps or flats.
Then there are the "Throat Tones" on the clarinet, which are the upper notes in the lower register (F4 up to Bb4). After 50+ years of playing these instruments, I still have brain fade sometimes when I see a G4 (second line on the treble staff). My left hand will instinctively start to drop the first three fingers onto the holes, when I should leave everything OFF the holes. <LOL>
The clarinet has a beautiful sound and I hope you enjoy it!
Cheers,
Ron
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Author: Ed
Date: 2022-12-27 00:20
Quote:
We think "frown" when we play the sax - and we have to change that to a "smile" on the clarinet.
I have never thought of the clarinet embouchure as like a smile. I cannot think of any player that uses an embouchure that resembles one. Perhaps I am misunderstanding what you mean by this.
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Author: Pokenerd
Date: 2022-12-27 00:45
I think he means corners of the mouth being more back on a clarinet.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-12-27 03:02
Pokenerd wrote:
"I think he means corners of the mouth being more back on a clarinet."
Almost like an oboe embouchure - my clarinet teacher at college used and taught that sideways braced embouchure as well as a more oboe-like posture with the instrument held up (like you'd do with soprano sax). He said I had more of an Italian sound.
I honestly had no problem with that as most clarinet players taught by the locals tended to play with the instrument held near vertical and with a large overbite and most had a resulting slack, unsupported sound. Don't bunch up your chin up or drop your head forwards with your chin digging into your chest.
Do you know or have a clear idea what sort of clarinet playing or style of music you'll want to be doing? If you have a clear idea, then watch what your favourite player of that style does with their posture and also aim for their sound.
And what style of soprano sax playing do you primarily do?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: DougR
Date: 2022-12-27 04:10
Depending on what kind of clarinet playing you want to do, I'd say the biggest difference is AIR, especially if you wanted to do more pit playing, legit playing, church playing where a good lyrical tone is important, etc., and you admire the sounds of symphonic players (or Eddie Daniels, for that matter, who does it all). If THAT appeals to you, you'd want to put more air thru the instrument than with sax. Not more volume, just more air (SUPPORTED air, that is). (Tom Ridenour has likened clarinet air to the FFFFFFFFT of an aerosol can, as opposed to saxophone, where the air CAN be more relaxed.)
I imagine what you'd want to do as a beginner clarinetist is develop a conception in your own head of what you want to sound like, (or WHO), and figure out how to make that happen. If it were me, rather than getting too hung up on mouthpieces, reeds etc., I'd figure out what kind of clarinet playing I want to do, and find a teacher in my area who does that kind of playing. Most of them will do a one-hour-and-goodbye lesson, where you get information you can work with while you decide if you want to study regularly.
Good luck and have fun!
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2022-12-27 04:28
For me, the most important part is to focus on making a clarinet sound like a clarinet, and a saxophone sound like a saxophone...but to each his own.
Perhaps unpopular to say, but it seems that sometimes folks who start on saxophone and move to clarinet fall into the trap of being technically proficient in fingerings and such, but still lack a good clarinet sound. Or (another way to say it) - they make the clarinet sound more like a saxophone, stylistically, in approach, and even in phrasing/ideas...so what's the point of playing the clarinet?
There are many folks who do well on both clarinet and saxophone - and play each convincingly well. So, to me, the trick is simply being sure to view the clarinet as a clarinet, and the saxophone as a saxophone; and play them accordingly. That's just my preference (as both a player and listener). However, it is something that is beneficial to be aware of when first making the move from one to the other.
Have fun!
Fuzzy
;^)>>>
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Author: RKing
Date: 2022-12-28 22:31
Yes, to "smile" means to pull the corners of your mouth back as if you are going to smile. It tightens the embouchure more than you need for playing the sax.
I have forgotten so much since my 5th grade band class (65 years ago - Yikes!), but I still remember some of the lessons we learned:
"Raise the bridge before you put the joints together."
"The clarinet bell does not go out past your knees."
and
"Smile when you are playing the clarinet. It's fun!"
Sorry for any confusion!
Ron
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-12-29 16:45
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To avoid damage the mechanism during assembly/disassembly, hold the joints as shown in the attachments and keep the tenon corks sufficiently greased (neither too much nor too little cork grease).
1st photo: Holding the upper joint in the left hand (and ONLY in the left hand) as well as holding down the ring keys and throat A key as that raises the linkage.
- Get into the practice of holding the throat A key down as that's vitally important if you go on to playing bass clarinet (or some makes of alto clarinet) which may have an extra linkage between the joints that's raised by the throat A key and will prevent it getting mashed up during assembly/disassembly.
2nd, 3rd and 4th photos: Holding the lower joint in the right hand (and ONLY in the right hand) as well as holding the large pad cups closed as you won't bend anything that way. Don't hold down or use any of the RH touchpieces to get leverage as they bend easily and that will throw the adjustment out.
As you control the top joint with your left and and lower joint with your right hand, that will make it easy to remember which joint should be held with which hand and that applies whether you're right or left-handed. And when holding or carrying the clarinet, hold it by the lower joint in your right hand and not by the top joint just for safety's sake as a loose or wobbly middle tenon could mean the lower joint (and bell) could drop off under its own weight.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2022-12-29 17:45)
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The Clarinet Pages
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