 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SquidwardOnDrugs
Date: 2025-09-04 17:57
Hello fellow nets,
I need some advice on the topic listed above as I recently was selected to be Principal Clarinet in a local youth orchestra, but I have only ever played in band ensembles.
How should I go about blending with strings and the rest of the orchestra?
Thanks for all the help you guys have given to me over the years btw, really excited to pursue music in college next year!
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Author: Ed
Date: 2025-09-04 20:07
Whether playing with woodwinds, brass or strings, use be able the make small adjustments to air, embouchure, voicing to color your sound. There are times when the unique tone of the clarinet is desired, but other times when you will want to color your sound and projection to fit your tone into that of other instruments.
While you are practicing, try to adapt your tone to be more covered or bright, work to highly focus your tone or make is slightly more diffuse, try to get different shades that might more closely mimic the tone of other instruments so your tone is not limited to one flavor.
Most importantly, just use your ears and have fun!
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Author: m1964
Date: 2025-09-05 00:11
I would pay attention to tuning - if playing in tune, you will "blend in".
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2025-09-05 00:21
In band you, and I suspect a fair number of other clarinetists where the "band's violins," in large part carrying your share the melody of at least a fair number of musical selections that might have been adapted from their original orchestra scoring.
In orchestra the limited number of clarinet players like you may warrant a greater need to project (but by no means am I suggested that you play loud for loudness' sake, just that you are heard) and an even higher degree of familiarity with the music in front as might have been the case in band, as there aren't players apt to hit the notes you miss from error or simply taking a breath, or you them.
Nothing I say implies that you didn't also take the band literature seriously, just that you'll be more exposed now.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-09-05 14:56
Eyes and ears.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2025-09-05 22:54
SquidwardOnDrugs wrote:
> Hello fellow nets,
>
> I need some advice on the topic listed above as I recently was
> selected to be Principal Clarinet in a local youth orchestra,
> but I have only ever played in band ensembles.
>
> How should I go about blending with strings and the rest of the
> orchestra?
You have a more independent role as principal clarinet than you have in a band clarinet section. You need to be sensitive to what the other principal woodwinds are playing, especially to tuning with them in unison and octave doublings, since the woodwinds form a distinct choir.
Karl
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Author: J. J.
Date: 2025-09-05 23:05
Listen and look to them more than yourself, and you should be fine.
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