clarinet361
Band Nerd
Music teacher looking for a job...
Posts: 220
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Post by clarinet361 on Dec 13, 2006 19:45:26 GMT -5
Anyone have tips for playing fast or playing fun things like sextuplets and up? That and for getting back into the swing of clarinet? If playing fast refers to articulation as well, keep the tongue close to the reed and tongue lightly. To work up to tonguing fast, get the good old metronome out and work on "burst tonguing". Burst Tonguing to me is a group of sixteenths followed by an eighth and then resting for 3.5 beats and playing the first 5 notes of the ascending scale or 2 beats of sixteenths followed by an eighth, same amount of rests followed by playing the first 5 notes ascending and descending followed by 3.5 beats of rest. I do this starting on an open G and working my way up chromatically to the octave, in the key of the starting note (G, Ab, A, etc.). This exercise has many varieties, so play around with the groupings and scales used. To work on finger speed I pick a scale (typically a simpler one like G or F), set the metronome and proceed to work on the scale in 5-note sections (so G-D, D-A, A-E, etc.) and combining each section until the whole scale is played (ascending and descending). I start the whole process again at a faster tempo. The goal is to eventually play at 120-144 (some keys this will be easier than others).
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Post by friskylurker on Jan 12, 2007 15:48:56 GMT -5
time to revive the clarinet room! anyone ever played the Bb contra? I'm going to play it for clarinet choir, i think. So if anyone knows any quirks to watch out for, it would be much appreciated. then there's the fact that it's taller than i am... should be interesting!
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Post by bariclaribob on Jan 12, 2007 16:51:57 GMT -5
One girl in wind ensemble plays contra bass clarinet. At the all-conference honor band, there are two... the girl from my school being one. She is also much shorter than her instrument, and therefore sits on a higher chair at concerts and such. At all-conference, though, she has to stand... which will be interesting with an all day practice on Monday.
Quirks: she says that (as you all probably know) the fingerings are the same as for regular Bb clarinet but that you have to move a lot more air to play low notes.
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Post by friskylurker on Jan 13, 2007 23:34:15 GMT -5
my friend plays the Eb contra in our band, but she also has the school's Bb contra because nobody was using it so he let her take it. But she said i can steal it for clari choir because i found another bass clarinet willing to do clari choir (last year i was the only bass so the clari guy(my private teacher) wouldnt let me play alto or contra). so yeah. I'm wondering about reeds... are they the same size as Eb contra reeds? or do tehy use some sort of sax reeds? like how soprano clarinet/sax reeds are the same, alto sax/alto clarinet are equivalent, and bass clarinets can use tenor reeds? does bari sax coorespond to Eb or Bb contra, or both?
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Post by bassoonist88 on Jan 15, 2007 10:17:01 GMT -5
Contra alto/bass clarinets are JESUS! Comparable to a contrabassoon, the contra clarinets will truely make your entire diaphram VIBRATE on the lowest notes. I'm telling you, something about those low woodwinds must be theraputic... they loosen up your innards when you play them. I got the chance to try a contra alto at an honor band back in December, and I was hooked. I played the lowest note for about five minutes straight (I killed my bassoon embouchure for about 20 minutes... during which I had to play a solo, oops). ANYWAY, the thing about the large clarinets is of course they will require a completely different approach to your air support and breathing in general (very warm air, very supported, LOTS of air to fill the horn, not that clarinet does not require lots of air in general but with a contra it's an exacerbated dilemma).
Anyway, I hope you have an amazing time with your huge, awesome instrument. Now if only I could get my hands on a contrabassoon, we could battle it out for who could create the largest seismic waves... bet you I could knock down New York City before you!
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Post by friskylurker on Jan 15, 2007 19:13:20 GMT -5
Contra alto/bass clarinets are JESUS! Comparable to a contrabassoon, the contra clarinets will truely make your entire diaphram VIBRATE on the lowest notes. I'm telling you, something about those low woodwinds must be theraputic... they loosen up your innards when you play them. I got the chance to try a contra alto at an honor band back in December, and I was hooked. I played the lowest note for about five minutes straight (I killed my bassoon embouchure for about 20 minutes... during which I had to play a solo, oops). ANYWAY, the thing about the large clarinets is of course they will require a completely different approach to your air support and breathing in general (very warm air, very supported, LOTS of air to fill the horn, not that clarinet does not require lots of air in general but with a contra it's an exacerbated dilemma). Anyway, I hope you have an amazing time with your huge, awesome instrument. Now if only I could get my hands on a contrabassoon, we could battle it out for who could create the largest seismic waves... bet you I could knock down New York City before you! yeah, i know what you mean about the vibrations- i can feel a hint of it with my low c on bass clarinet. seismic battle, eh? depends... how close do you live to NYC? a friend of mine could be playing contra bassoon for some stuff if our director ever manages to get ahold of it.. (like 5 schools share it). hmmm. you've given me ideas
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Post by aznfiddle on Jan 18, 2007 17:54:27 GMT -5
wow, I started clarinet in 6th grade and basically taught myself to play. No teacher at all... period... Anyways, I can now say that the slide in Rhapsody in Blue and the solo in Blue Shades are so much fun to play! I can hit a high g and am trying to reach the a...
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Post by bariclaribob on Jan 20, 2007 11:27:40 GMT -5
^Just like I taught myself oboe and bari... but I don't sound quite so proficient on them as you do on clarinet....
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Post by bariclaribob on Jan 24, 2007 17:46:24 GMT -5
Here's a clarinet question:
In my band, we have four clarinets on first part. We're all pretty good players, but one thing we can't seem to do is play relatively high notes in tune. I can hear how off one A above the staff sounds when we all play it, but they don't know how to tune just using their embouchre (I do; I have to on sax a lot), so when Mr. B says tune that note, they all stop playing and adjust the length of the barrels! I've tried to explain how to use their mouth to adjust pitch, but they don't seem to get it.
Any advice? Or should I just keep tuning myself and let my bd deal with it? I am the section leader, but they don't really listen to what I say...
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Post by trumpetsareamazing on Feb 1, 2007 13:47:05 GMT -5
^^ oooohhhh..... mann...
that about what happened with our section this year... I hated how out of tune we were. Since nobody would listen to me about how to tune high-register notes with your mouth and air-speed, I just let them do what they wanted. One day during part of the song, it got so out of tune, that it sounded like 3 different notes because 1 person was really flat, I was in tune, and 2 other people were really really sharp. Or BD almost fell of the podium! he jumped down and started yelling at them about how they should know how to tune the high notes. they said that they knew how but just never did it. not a good thing to say a week before a concert... They had to tune eventualy, but that wasn't the best ending ever.
pretty much just let your BD handle it. If he doesn't do anything soon, tell him before class one day. Good luck with that!
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Post by prongs4band on Feb 2, 2007 22:35:44 GMT -5
Oh, wow! I love the contra clarinet!!! When I was at All-State, I played this one kid's contra...this kid is like 6'2", and I'm like 5'2"...no joke. I was barely taller than the contra. lol. I couldn't play it. I can't even play bass anymore. I used to be fairly good on the bass. I haven't played it in 2 years. My embochure is just way too tight from playing the Bb and Eb soprano so much. Anyway, I had to go back to rehearsal after the break, and I was like "WOO! I'm back on my instrument again!!!" But I loved playing the bass when I did. (Anyone ever play American Riversongs on bass or contra? Freaking AWESOME bass part!!!) aznfiddle, I know what you mean about teaching yourself. I lived in KS when I started band in 6th grade, and I didn't know anything about the clarinet. I moved to OK going into my 7th grade year, and I taught myself. My 8th grade year, I started actually wanting to play and get really good, so my bd helped me out a bunch...and then I started taking private lessons with only the coolest person in the world!!! And I also know what you mean about Blue Shades!!! I love the extended clarinet solo. The glissando is amazing. I've never played Blue Shades in an ensemble, but I learned the solos by ear. Just a little hint for the altissimo A, you can finger it as clarion C# (xxxlxxxC#), and lip it up. It'll pop out very easily, you won't believe it. As far as the section not listening to you goes, I understand. Maybe after rehearsal one day, you can ask the other firsts to stay for a minute, and try to figure it out. Hopefully they'll understand. Express your concerns, and see what you guys can fix by working together! Good luck! Has anyone on here ever played Marchissimo by Philip Sparke? I LOVE Marchissimo!!! I know we've talked about the Eb clarinet here. So, has anyone else had any more experience with it lately? I freaking LOVE the Eefer!
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Post by javelin on Feb 3, 2007 19:52:13 GMT -5
How about the A clarinet? Anyone ever tried that? I know that they're about... I think Dr. Nygren said they were a half inch longer than the B-flat. I also know they're primarily used for orchestral music, as the play with keys with more sharps in them than keys with flats. Being bigger, they're also darker sounding. I haven't played one before, much less held one, though.
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Post by prongs4band on Feb 3, 2007 21:32:39 GMT -5
Yes, the A clarinet. It does sound darker. I really wish I had one. I'm in an orchestra, and we always get music that's been transposed. It sucks big time. I wanted to borrow a friend's, but she's in college, and there was no way I could've gotten it. When I was at All-State, in our sectional, Dr. Etheridge demonstrated something to us. Most of the time when we pull out in the barrel, middle joint, or the bell, we go right back to playing, and don't really pay attention to the sound. If you pay close attention to the sound after you pull out (On Bb), you'll notice the difference in sound. It was pretty cool. One time in orchestra, I had to sightread music that hadn't been transposed yet...yeah, it sucked big time. Reading down a half-step while sightreading is definately not my favorite thing to do. lol. The most sharps I've played in while I was in orchestra was 5 or 6. 5 isn't too bad, but once you get to the E#s, it's not the most fun thing to do. lol. Has anyone seen a G clarinet? It's pretty cool-looking. Of course, I've never played one, but only seen a picture of one....Kinda cute...but probably worse than the Ab (Eb isn't too bad once you get used to it....The Ab might be a different story. lol).
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Post by friskylurker on Feb 7, 2007 13:37:25 GMT -5
Prongs4band, i've played american riversongs on bass. i didnt think it was such a great part... far to many oompahs. but oh well. orchestra music has far too many sharps. I'm playing clarinet music on my bass, currently, because there arent any bass parts in the peices we have now so she was like, here play these. so the clarinet players have A versions, and i hvae a Bb transposed copy... and its ridiculous! i hate sharps. unfortunately, they don't make A bass clarinets anymore.. and i wouldn't be able to get ahold of one even if they did
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Post by bariclaribob on Mar 27, 2007 18:06:07 GMT -5
Time to revive this thread.
My mom finally agreed to let me look at a new clarinet. Right now I play a cheap, student line plastic Vito. I'm looking at upgrading to a wooden clarinet. I know Selmers are good, and I saw a picture of a Selmer CL211 wooden clarinet with nickel keys that looked promising, but I was hoping you guys might have some advice on a model that you use or know something about. So any tips would be welcome!
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