 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Paul77
Date: 2025-10-15 09:57
Attachment: A-vs-B.jpg (75k)
Hello guys! Just a quick question... Would really appreciate it!
Which one of these passages is more easily playable on Bb clarinet? I understand that a professional can play both of these. But which one is easier? A or B?
(It's written in the normal written range for the clarinet, not concert pitch.)
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2025-10-15 16:46
Is this in 5/8? What tempo?
The two passages are close enough in difficulty to make little difference.
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Author: John Peacock
Date: 2025-10-15 22:12
The first is marginally more awkward, assuming your instrument needs an overblown Bb for the F# (the oxo LH fingering is acceptable at speed, but flat on Buffets). In that case, the E to F# might fail to be smooth if the synchronisation of LH and RH is less than perfect.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2025-10-16 05:09
Another vote for same in difficulty.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book-- Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: Paul77
Date: 2025-10-16 06:47
The tempo is pretty fast and the clarinet is helping emphasize other instruments hitting the same final concert pitch G. So the passage needs to flow fast and smoothly, in order to nicely land on the top note. I imagined A would be slightly easier since it's not chromatic as B is... Isn't there the slightest bit difference at a relatively fast tempo?
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2025-10-16 16:51
There are so many possible fingering sequences, especially if the tempo and musical character don't necessitate perfect intonation on the fleeting notes, that it's not a big deal either way. If a player is familiar with that register at all, then a choice between an A-major scale fragment or a chromatic won't faze them. They'll just decide how to play what they see and then do it.
On the other hand, if you are the composer, and the piece is supposed to be easy, with clarinetists who probably aren't familiar with that note range, then I might choose . . . aaah, no, I can't. Both are also about equally difficult to learn.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2025-10-16 17:04
I keep asking myself, why does it matter? If you're writing the passage and it's intended for an experienced clarinetist, either will work. The responses so far have made it pretty clear that either is playable and neither is prohibitively awkward. If you're writing for younger, less accomplished players, getting to A6 will be a challenge in either case. Why are you asking the question?
Karl
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