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clarinets...and survival

6K views 29 replies 14 participants last post by  TonyM 
#1 ·
I hope it's not a sign of poor judgement, or poor character generally, but rather perhaps just old age...but I'm finding that clarinets are a charming instrument with which to make a good sound with relatively little effort (and saxophones of course, and accordians too for that matter). I so enjoy playing these, these days...maybe I'm getting lazier, and I know I'm getting older :baby:...but I'm spending increasingly more time converting my fiddle repertoire to reeds (both fixed and free).

Seems like, other than the wind of course, one can sit rather stationary, expend relatively little effort, while the instrument does the heavy lifting. I'm only afraid that if I put all my time into reeds, I'll be SOL when my teeth fall out. Well, there's still my flute...

Anyone else gravitating toward woodwinds for these "corporeal" issues of mortality (and physics)? I also figure that when the economy completely collapses, reeds are an ideal instrument for keeping oneself alive and eating, on the street....
 
#2 ·
I'm playing more and more clarinet as time goes by, but not for the reasons you listed (even if valid). I play it more because I find it challenging and the more I use it the better I play it. It still is only a small percentage of my overall musical effort, though. I wish I was better at it and felt the same familiarity with it as I do with saxophone.

I can play in a trad-band and feel comfortable on sop or alto even if the leader calls something unfamiliar (and there are few tunes from that era that I haven't at least heard before). Not so with clarinet. But some tunes lend themselves to clarinet better than others, and I prefer AND enjoy playing them on clarinet. It sure gives the ensemble a whole different sound. DAVE
 
#3 ·
Yes, I wish I had the same comfort with sax and cl too -- I'm very comfortable in altissimo on cl, but don't have the same facility with saxes.

For an intimately evocative sound, that wood really has it. Then of course, it does scream a bit too in altissimo. I think this is one of the reasons I like it so much -- that great range...all in one little stick (did I mention that I was lazy? :|)
 
#4 ·
Playing clarinet is rather enjoyable.
At least when your teeth fall out you won't have to worry about 'biting', and you won't have to buy patches to avoid those unsightly tooth marks on the top of your mouthpiece.

My situation is quite the opposite of yours. When I'm feeling old and lazy I play saxophone. :)
 
#9 ·
Playing clarinet is rather enjoyable.
At least when your teeth fall out you won't have to worry about 'biting', and you won't have to buy patches to avoid those unsightly tooth marks on the top of your mouthpiece.

My situation is quite the opposite of yours. When I'm feeling old and lazy I play saxophone. :)
Plus 1 on that! Clarinet is tough! Escpially starting on clarinet at age 40 after playing sax since 8!
 
#5 ·
Yes, cl is really a nice instrument--especially for personal enjoyment. It's compact, sounds very good played quietly, and has tremendous capacity for expression even played quietly. This is one of the things that attracted me to cl immediately--having come to it quite late in life. Phrasing and articulation seem so natural. I like the feel of the instrument quite a lot.
 
#6 ·
I also rediscover it. It was my first horn before sax, but I got fed up by all that traditional jazz still popular and asked for over here. So I needed some time to put some distance between her (the clarinet, en français, she is female) and me.
I just recently bought a '61 Selmer Paris Series 9, with that catchy low register. Pure joy to play down there. So we're getting along again..
This is how it sounds: I Got Rythm, from this month's TOTM.
 
#8 ·
My ****r wouldn't load it dex. I acquired a series 9 bass in April--which likely is what spurred this whole cl thing for me.

Regarding TMT (too much trad)...I put on a Chris Speed record about three weeks ago and haven't been able to stop listening to it yet...
 
#11 ·
I must be a bit of an anomaly. For some reason, the cl felt intuitive from virtually the first moment (albeit, the second time I tried...the first time--about 15 years previous--I don't recall it being so natural). I grew up blowing on saxes and flutes, but, never really blew on a cl during those years.

Of course, GIVEN covering all the holes and not inadvertantly touching adjacent keys! What I think I mean, is...that given the technical challenges--which compared to sax can be a bit dicey--the horn seems so easy to make speak, and throughout three registers...

But, I think one of the differences between my playing cl now and 20 years earlier, is that in the intervening 20 or so years I've been playing lots of fiddle and other stringed instruments--acquiring lots of dexterity that perhaps is making my cl playing that much easier for me. So, the fingering of a cl--while it was probably more of a challenge for me earlier--is not that difficult for me now.
 
#12 ·
It touches my heart to read that you guys actually enjoy playing the 'Misery Stick'.
It has always been my first love. Sax came as something that I needed to learn in order to 'teach' and cover in the pit.
Wierd as it sounds, the instrument feels more 'alive' in my hands than my saxophones. And I love my saxophones...
 
#14 ·
the instrument feels more 'alive' in my hands than my saxophones. And I love my saxophones...
Yes, this is how it feels for me as well. I attribute it to open holes, increased resistance, smaller size, etc. Feels more like a flute in a way. Very responsive.. My saxes are set up quite well and are nicely responsive. But, cl is more "immediate" (?)

Now, bass cl is more like sax, in these regards, and lacks these aspects. But, has yet another dimension and its separate allure. Without my bass, I would have a crisis indeed--as I would not be as compelled to NOT play saxes.. :mrgreen:

The real problem is...sax and cl are both necessary! [rolleyes]
 
#15 ·
As much as I love my saxophones, like many of the rest of you, the clarinet is becoming as much me as the saxes. I am finally over the "I hate the fingering system" part after almost 40 years of playing both. I'm really looking forward to playing reed 2 (tenor, clarinet and flute) of the Wizard of Oz opening the end of next week and playing until the weekend before Christmas. Some great clarinet passages.
 
#21 ·
Well I'm torn...I love the sound of saxes, but i also love the feel of clarinets.

I'm always conflicted about whcih instrument...but at least I was able to make one big definitive decision--to completely give up classical guitar--in which I invested 4/5 of my life. But this opened up other avenues for me, including getting back into horns. I recently got back into some baroque music (which I did a lot of with guitar) on hammered duclimer--a sound that I cannot escape. It's been taking me away from woodwinds, so...always, always the pursuit of sound..
 
#22 ·
beefheart, do you think it has anything to do with the 'warmth' of the wood?
I own a metal, a plastic, and several wood clarinets. Even though they all sound pretty much the same I'm drawn to the wood.
Metal and plastic feel cold and dead, while the wood.... It just feels better in the hands.
 
#23 ·
I do. I formerly had a couple of decent plastic clarinets -- a Yamaha soprano and a Vito bass. Adequate horns, but I wasn't inspired, I guess, and never developed any rapport with them...eventually traded them and forgot about clarinet entirely. I was more interested in a Boehm flute at that time (in addition to all my guitar stuff) . But when I acquired my little Artley wooden clarinet -- it was like a light bulb went off -- it just felt completely right from the moment I started with it. Still does.
 
#25 ·
Well it's something I've always intuited too...especially having guitars and fiddles and wooden instruments in my hands all the time. Metal horns do feel to lack something in this regard, for me--but it's a very subtle feeling.

FWIW- when I first saw Shivkumar Sharma in 1984, I fell in love with HD. I don't play raga (I play Irish music--harp tunes, etc.), but the instrument is essentially the same.

...but my instrument weighs about 40 pounds, which makes clarinet very attractive too!
 
#26 ·
I came to the clarinet at age 60 when my husband started filling our boat with guitars and in order to claim 'some' valuable space I bought a clarinet and I've never looked back. Last thing I ever blew a note on was a recorder when I was 11. My Selmer has certainly saved my sanity, I love it and I love the beautiful sounds I can make, but that's subjective because it's only me and the dolphins to hear it, a bit like singing in the shower!
 
#27 ·
I started the clarinet last August at the ripe old age of 59. I love it. I have never played an instrument before. LSU university started a New Horizons band, and I joined. Just signed up for the new semester, we start next Thursday. I liked it so much, I decided to sign up for private lessons once a week. I have a yamaha Allegro 550. Both my daughters play, one plays piano and clarinet, the other plays clarinet.
The reason I am on the sax forum is because a friend gave me a 1975 Buescher alto a few years ago; he thought my daughters my want to play it. I fool around with it a few times a week. I am beginning to understand clarinetists obsession with reeds and mouthpieces. Anyone see that Woody Allen special on PBS? He had reeds laying around everywhere, all over his house..........Gary P.
 
#29 ·
Appreciate those last three repsonses..

I totally agree about the versatility of clarinet--one reason why I love it. It's an incredibly expressive, sonorous, and even powerful instrument in one little stick. Nice to see the prevalence of the clarinets in new music--maybe the "world" music trend has contributed to "ethnic" (folk) influences. I like Chris Speed, Matt Dareau, of course John Zorn's ensembles, Louis Sclavis, Ken Vandermark (of course I have my bass too)

Wonderful that folks are coming to it at a later age. It's a great instrument to play for one's own enjoyment. In the US, scads of decent instruments are available in pawnshops for under $100; seems like most every household with children possessed a horn.

Re hand position: when I first tried clarinet, about 20 years ago, I think I was squeeking a lot--which doubtlessly contributed to my disenchantment with it. When I tried it again last year--I was amazed how easy it was...squeeking isn't an issue. Frankly, I don't know why the difference--perhaps the clarinet I had needed adjustment, or I had a woeful mpc. As bootman said, correct fingering is essential--my own challenge is excerising correctness while going across the break. Amazing how much easier it is with practice--but still a challenging aspect of the horn
 
#30 ·
This is such an encouraging thread. Thank you everyone.

I started clarinet a few years ago and took lessons with a classical teacher. Loved it and was amazed at the importance of instruction. Get the embouchure right, work or technique and the instrument begins to speak. Then I had a bad accident and had to give up for a while and came back with a new set of teeth and found that patient practice brought everything back and more. I thought I was set with a clarinet and was now working with a jazz teacher. Then someone gave me an alto sax and I am the happiest chap in our street. I have two colours to paint with and they behave so differently that it's a joy. The nice thing is having similar practice regimes but such different outcomes.

I'm continuing clarinet lessons and I think I always will for the foreseeable future but the alto remains like mistress in the wings. It's like being a bad husband, there's a great deal of pleasure in it.
 
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