Switching to alto clarinet

[clarinetlover]

I found someone selling a used alto clarniet for a bargain (appearently it's a little beat up, but it's 100% functionable) and all of a sudden I have my heart set on buying it.

I've played Bb for about 6 year now, lessons on and off for about half. If there's anyone in the world who plays alto clarinet, how different is it from Bb? Are the fingerings similar? I know it's in a different key (Eb, I think) so I guess I would need some music touch ups after only playing Bb for so long. But besides that, you think I could pull it off without lessons? I can't afford any right now. If i absolutely fall in love with it, I'll think about splurging on the lessons, but right now it's for fun. And if I hate it, my bank account won't even care since it's pretty darn cheap.

Any tips? I know altos are almost non existant now-a-days, so I hope someone out there actually knows what I'm talking about.

[Deleted]

*patiently waits for half-page response from AC*

The only advice I can give you is to talk to your BD and look at whatever music he's looking at in the near future to see if they have alto parts. Older music is more likely to have it, I think (AC?)

My BD is talking about bringing his personal alto to school (he's a percussionist, which leaves a kind of huh? feeling but whatever) for one of our clarinets to play, as well as a bass, so let me know how the transition treats you if you do it. We have a contra, but the last person to play it was kind of odd and the woodwinds hated him and are too squeamish to touch it (I could launch into a brass supremacy escapade here but I won't).

[altoclarinets]

HAhaha. Welcome to the nonexistent section of the band. First, be aware that if you are not the kind of person who likes to be referred to as "hey!!! band nerd!!!" you should NOT play this instrument. Second, you need to be fluent in keys with a lot of sharps, because altos play with one more sharp in the key signature than a Bb clarinet does. The embouchure is different it takes some getting used to. Take a little more mouthpiece, cushion with your lower lip and bring those corners down!!! Most of the time your typical alto takes about 10- 20 minutes to really warm up and play well. You will need a neckstrap or spike to hold te horn up with, and alto reeds, though if you don't want to have the guy at the music store look at you like you're psycho/ if you don't want to spend $43 on one blue box of VDs you can just play alto sax reeds. The wideness of they keys and the low Eb take some adjusting, but you can rest assured that you will make every honor band you try out for because you will be the ONLYYYY one trying out. If you have to play notes in the altissimo register (3rd partial), be aware that you do not lift your first finger, you half hole. That is what the hole drilled in the middle of the first finger key is there for. Other than that, notes are fingered the same way- thumb 123 is still a C and so on.

[clarinetlover]

Thanks so much! Most people I've asked don't really know what I'm talking about when I tell them I might be getting an alto clarinet. "You mean a bass clarinet?" Uhh, no.

I like that I'll automatically be the best at playing alto clarinet because I'll be the only one. Ha, a little bit of a self esteem boost.

How much do you think I need to switch my brain around to manage to read music for an Eb instrument? On a Bb clarinet, a C is a concert Bb, and correct me if I'm wrong, an F is a concert Bb on alto clarinet?

How often is there actually an alto clarinet part for music that your band plays? Or do you pretend to be a saxophone and read their part a lot of the time?

And, there's no way I'm gonna march an alto, right? I don't think I'd want to if there were such a thing, but I'm just asking. I don't think there's a spot for it anyway. It's not a bass instrument, so I wouldn't be in the bassline, and it'd look silly in the middle of all the other clarinets.

[Marine.]

Oct 25, 2008 17:00:03 GMT -5 clarinetlover said:

Thanks so much! Most people I've asked don't really know what I'm talking about when I tell them I might be getting an alto clarinet. "You mean a bass clarinet?" Uhh, no.

I like that I'll automatically be the best at playing alto clarinet because I'll be the only one. Ha, a little bit of a self esteem boost.

How much do you think I need to switch my brain around to manage to read music for an Eb instrument? On a Bb clarinet, a C is a concert Bb, and correct me if I'm wrong, an F is a concert Bb on alto clarinet?

How often is there actually an alto clarinet part for music that your band plays? Or do you pretend to be a saxophone and read their part a lot of the time?

And, there's no way I'm gonna march an alto, right? I don't think I'd want to if there were such a thing, but I'm just asking. I don't think there's a spot for it anyway. It's not a bass instrument, so I wouldn't be in the bassline, and it'd look silly in the middle of all the other clarinets.

i'm guessing it'd be with either the alto saxes or the mellos.

[Deleted]

The only alto i've seen march marched in the clarinet line, kind of on the end. It would depend on part likenesses; matt is probably right as far as mellos.

[altoclarinets]

1. Altos used to march back before people realized how badly it ruined them. [see alto #3 at my school... ugh.]
2. Alto is in Eb like a saxophone. Most music still has a separate alto part, but it does a lot more doubling of 3rd claris, bassoon, bass clari and tbone than it does saxophone.
3. Concert pitch transposition chart:
Concert- C C# D Eb E F G Ab A Bb B C
Key/Note- A Bb B C C#D Eb F F# G Ab A
The main thing you need to note is that the concert F is played as a D. The one usually used for tuning purposes is thumb one two because it's a steady note and honestly usually pretty good. Like I said, fluency with sharps is essential. Which, of course, is why the region tryout music has 4 flats in the key sig. Lol. What kind is it? Mine is a Leblanc L330s, which is pretty much the best money can buy- I honestly prefer LeBlanc to Buffet for *low* clarinets, they have a different bore that chnges the sound and ease of play.
Edit: Sit at the tail of the clarinet section, just to the inside of the last chair clarinet player. When a song comes around that there is no alto part for, read 3rd clarinet. Alto saxophone and alto clarinet have two different timbres, and saxophone has a much narrower (missing nearly a full octave) range than clarinet. So the clarinet part will enrich you more as a player.

[altoclarinet123]

Alto clarinet is the most awesome instrument like ... ever.

Oct 25, 2008 13:36:07 GMT -5 altoclarinets said:

HAhaha. Welcome to the nonexistent section of the band. First, be aware that if you are not the kind of person who likes to be referred to as "hey!!! band nerd!!!" you should NOT play this instrument. Second, you need to be fluent in keys with a lot of sharps, because altos play with one more sharp in the key signature than a Bb clarinet does. The embouchure is different it takes some getting used to. Take a little more mouthpiece, cushion with your lower lip and bring those corners down!!! Most of the time your typical alto takes about 10- 20 minutes to really warm up and play well. You will need a neckstrap or spike to hold te horn up with, and alto reeds, though if you don't want to have the guy at the music store look at you like you're psycho/ if you don't want to spend $43 on one blue box of VDs you can just play alto sax reeds. The wideness of they keys and the low Eb take some adjusting, but you can rest assured that you will make every honor band you try out for because you will be the ONLYYYY one trying out. If you have to play notes in the altissimo register (3rd partial), be aware that you do not lift your first finger, you half hole. That is what the hole drilled in the middle of the first finger key is there for. Other than that, notes are fingered the same way- thumb 123 is still a C and so on.

Oh my god ... you are my savior! no wonder I couldn't play those altissimo notes...
And btw, you actually have to be somewhat good to make honor bands as an alto. This year I tried out with one other kid and there were two chairs. Sadly, he did not make it.
Just in case you did not get this from altoclarinets' response, concert Bb is G. ac said that, but not directly, just wanted to point it out.

Alto parts generally go with the upper end of low brass (trombone baritone), tenor, 3rd clari, french horn, etc. usually they give you alto sax parts if they don't have it, just because its in the same key, but it really doesn't match up. last year I played bari parts and transposed it down an octave where it sounded wierd. This year I play contra on the extra songs.

About the expensive reeds, too, go to 1stopclarinet.com - cheapest prices I've ever seen! (It has every instrument on it, not just clari)

Check out this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xs84zsla4M