Clarinet Trying out clarinet after playing saxophone

EthanZ

Member
5
NC
I have my sisters clarinet lying around, so I thought I might as well learn how to play it. Is there anything I should know about it, like a different embouchure, I tried playing it and I couldn't get into the higher register without squeaking. Any thing I should know about the clarinet please tell me.
 
Cant help you with an answer but i recently thought about getting one and after a bit of digging around it seems the Buffet is the Selmer of clarinets, and in particular the R13 (again i guess the MK6 or ref 54 of Buffet's) so am still looking for a nice example at reasonable money.
But here lies the problem...if we stray from the sax to the clarinet then onto the flute then the guitar piano etc are we just digging ourselves a deeper hole and risking becoming a jack of all trades and master of none?
 
Think maybe when you younger,you may have the time to try different instruments and if talented be a multi instrumentalist,but if you start out late like me in middle 50s,with work and other commitments think better to try master one rather than dabble in plenty,i wonder how people manage to fit in learning different insruments when you have ,work,home and family to deal with.Dave.
 
The clarinet, AKA the misery stick.

Embouchure's different, and tip opening is closer. Make sure you're taking enough of the mouthpiece in your mouth - playing just on the tip is a sure fire recipe for squeaks. Try a slightly harder reed, and watch your fingering. A clari is an open holed instrument, so imperfect fingering gives squeaks. Practice chromatic scales from bottom to top. Scale of C is also good for developing a clari embouchure. Just remember a clarinet is a harder instrument to play than a sax, and you can't expect to just pick it up and master it. I've been playing clarinet for 35 years and I'm still not very good at it.

Jon
 
I don't really want to master it or anything, I just thought I might as well learn to play it though, thanks for the advice
 
Hi Ethan. Don't let these guys put you off. Clarinet is a different instrument to the saxes, despite the similarity in some areas. Played properly it's a super sound and played badly it's not so nice. But the same can be said of all instruments.....

My son's been learning the clarinet for about 6 years. And the high notes were quite late on the agenda - because they're hard... Needs quite a lot of embouchure development before you can get them. And once you start getting them, it takes a lot more work before they sound good. Clarinet has a big advantage over teh sax - the keys don't move far - so speed is higher.

Have a go.
 
Well the squeaks could also be that you think you should hear an octave eg. G on sax with octave key down is G up the octave. well on a clarinet it is C on the lower section of the clarinet and a G on the upper section. Well whatever , love the slow movement in Mozarts clarinet concerto as well!!!
Richard
 
embouchure of a clarinet and soprano sax I find very similar. pitfalls are that there are holes in the clarinet that you have to cover with your finger tips. Not covering correctly can prove interesting.
 
I've been playing clarinet since I was 7 years old and have just started out on alto sax. You should progress quickly. BUT accuracy is very important and practise jumping between notes over the break (e.g. A-B). Embourchure is tighter.

I would advise a few lessons with a clarinet specialist or for a clarinettist friend to check your technique. 🙂
 
From a teaching standpoint there are a few important differences between the saxophone and clarinet in terms of embouchure and tone production.

Saxophone

  • mouthpiece goes straight into the mouth
  • embouchure "EE" muscles pull out "OO" muscles push in, "OO's" win the tug-o-war
  • chin is "rounded" slightly
  • bottom lip stretched over the bottom teeth just enough to cover
  • played (generally) with warm air
Clarinet

  • mouthpiece goes down at a 45 degree angle
  • embouchure "EE" muscles pull out "OO" muscles push in, tug-o-war ends in a tie
  • chin is held flat
  • slightly more bottom lip over the teeth to provide a "cushion" for the reed
  • played (generally) with fast cold air
The clarinet input pitch with the mouthpiece + barrel should be F# concert or slightly higher (on a short barrel).
 

Similar threads... or are they? Maybe not but they could be worth reading anyway 😀

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