[Jonathan C.]

This is a Which one thread.
I play Sax in a community orchestra, since it is an orchestra their aren't that many saxophone parts. But their is enough to need a Sax player to bring out that voicing. The problem is that I have been playing a mix of Clarinet, Trumpet and Alto Sax parts.
Their was a rehersal last night, and I was given a lot of clarinet parts (no clarinet player) for the upcoming christmas concert. I asked the director if I was supposed to play Clarinet, on the Clarinet parts (stupid mistake). To which she replied yes.
I have been playing Clarinet for about a month now. And I can work the parts out, if I take it slowly, and can play up to the C above the staff. I do have some troble with this switch:treble: :line3: :space3: , but I just need to get it set into muscle memory.

My question is, since they are clarinet parts, should I try and work them out on Clarinet, or just play them on Tenor?

Thanks very confused person.
~Carbs

 

[Jolle]

I'm not going to answer. Initially, I meant to answer "clarinet", both for the fact that clarinettists are less found than sax players and that clarinet parts are clarinet parts indeed.

But in regard of previous discussions and educational plans, it might be more beneficial in the long run to focus on tenor for now.

Then again, if the community band boss says clarinet, that's off to the practice room for you I guess

 

[Carl H.]

If your altissimo is well controlled so that you can play in the correct octave you could try tenor. But I suspect playing in the correct octave on tenor would be much more difficult than playing the correct instrument for the part.

 

[sycc]

Play it on soprano!!!Get a soprano!!!!LOL I used to double bass clarinet parts on tenor when I played in a local theatre production. My daughter does help the clarinet section(small section) from time to time w/ her tenor in elementary band. She also has assisted the trumpet section(it's a small band!!!)!!!

 

[saxandstrings86]

also not gonna vote, just give thoughts.

Clarinet parts are written for clarinet for a reason. it has it's own sound and capabilities. Anyone with the proper range and ability to transpose could play these on any instrument, but when you hand out parts, it isn't "first come first served" on the melody, they go out to the instrument they were written for.

that said, if you can play them better on tenor than on clarinet, and it's ok'd by the director, play them on tenor. however, if they're really fairly simple parts, it might be a good way to cut your chops on clarinet some more. That's why i'm playing bassoon in 2 community bands right now. I can sightread the sax parts without hesitation, but I'm learning a lot more by playing bassoon and sucking at it a little like everyone else, getting better each day.

As I understand it, tenor has been your main instrument mostly, hence the nice tenor before the nice alto. If the parts are a breeze for you on tenor, it might not hurt to put in the effort on clarinet, assuming it doesn't take away from your other practice time. If clarinet is gonna be a lot of work to get the parts into playing order, i'd say go the easier route with tenor.

 

[saxmanglen]

Carbs,

If you've got the time to work the parts up on clarinet and play them respectfully, GO FOR IT! Take advantage of the opportunity to get the clarinet under finger. It will payoff big time down the road.

 

[Jonathan C.]

I can work it out on Clarinet, but it would take me a while of praticing to do so.
Yes, Tenor has been my main horn, and I can easily sight read the parts. The only reason why I did not include Soprano Sax into the possable parts is that I am trying to reduce the amount of horns I have to carry. I should say the amount of luggage, that I have to carry to and from rehersal. That is a possabilty though.

The good thing is that I worked out one song on Clarinet. But thats a second part, and on another song I was given first (not sure if I should attempt that one, on Clarinet.) That one just looks hard.

 

[Jolle]

hmmm...

Go for it, take the clarinet. You'll play it anyway, so there you have a nice exercise. If you can sight-read them on tenor, playing them as a rehearsal a few times during practice time on the tenor should suffice.

And then you have all your clarinet practice time to devote to these pieces.

 

[gary]

Jeez Marie. Bait and reel in.

Didn't I read somewhere where carbs has to take entrance exams for a university-level music program and, not only is he not prepared to do it on tenor, his main axe, but the band teacher said he'd have to take it on alto, for which he is totally unprepared?

Carbs - this is my last post to you. Stop dicking around and focus. Clarinet is not in your immediate future. I already mentioned this in another thread. What do you want to do - screw around in a community orchestra that is so weak ít's handing out clarinet parts to a tenor saxophonist, or prepare for your university audition?

This is just really unfortunate. Or maybe just disfunctional altogether. I can't decide. But that's all you're gonna get from me. Advice is something you obviously do not need. I really, really, really do with you luck!

 

[sycc]

Carbs,get a selmer super session for your soprano hyou won't regret it!!!!Dolson and company turned me on to mine~!!

 

[harmonizerNJ]

Did the community band boss say that he wanted the notes to be played in tune? If not, try the tenor altissimo, or the soprano sax.

If he wants the notes played in tune, then I suggest the clarinet.

(ok, I tried a little tongue-in-cheek humor here).

 

[saxandstrings86]

Hmm, in light of new information (haven't been keeping up on your threads/posts lately) i'd like to throw my vote over to *neither*

You've got some serious chops to build on alto, and you need to do it fast. As a cellist in high school auditioning to university music programs, i wasn't accepted to all of them, and cellists have a lot less competition than saxophonists. You've got to figure that there will be at least 50 others of your own level auditioning, and probably another 200 that can outplay you...and all it comes down to is how well you do on that one day in that 10 minutes with the faculty. Someone chokes, they're done. You've got to know what you have to do backwards and forward, inside and out, and in 80 different keys.

A lot of my friends opted out of the local wind symphony senior year (even ones that had been in for years already) to prepare for auditions. Don't let a community orchestra keep you out of college.

 

[Jolle]

hmmm... right Gary.

Carbs, forget my second post, read the first one. I second Gary.

 

[tjontheroad]

Stop dicking around and focus.

Best advise ever on this board. I'm taking this one down

 

[saxmanglen]

Hmmm........I think I'm another that has to recant my original post after Gary's "additional information".

 

[Carl H.]

Stop dicking around and focus.

Winner!!!

Although if you haven't mastered all your sax scales by now, you might as well go ahead and mess around with the clarinet parts on the clarinet. By the time my sax students hit HS they had their scales down cold - full range and partial altissimo range too.

:!: You are far behind the game. :!: If you don't commit in a serious way (NO SOTW except for serious - S E R I O U S - technical questions) you are already screwed. So go ahead and mess around with this and that and work on your English skills. If you aren't prepared to do what it takes to reach your goal of playing sax in college, you might as well have some fun now.

I still say play the clarinet part on the clarinet. If you are going to do something DO IT.

 

[AltoRuth]

I'm with Gary....and Jolle and saxmanglen and Carl H and tjontheroad and saxandstrings86, and I didn't vote 'cause there wasn't an option for "no comment" or "neither".

 

[Jonathan C.]

Ending to the thread, probably.

Thanks, for all the replies.

I have decided to tell the director she can pick, Tenor or Soprano. My reasoning being.
That though I have a Clarinet, and have worked on it. I have a try out late January, and that with course work, is pushing community orchestra at the bottom of the pile.
I have many scales to learn, for the Alto. And am looking at instead of two hours a day to three. Three hours a day at 6 days a week, (giving me 1 day off), for the next few months. I figured 6 days a week, because the pamplet I got from the band I am looking at says to give yourself one day off a week.
Also this combined with course work, their is simply no time. Maybe near the end of the school year, can I seriously consider it, but now their is just to much. I am going to have to tell her that (pray for me).

Does this sound about right? I am signing off for a while probably (I am trying to get caught up in classes). Also, since I was shocked this last weekend on Alto, not Tenor for try outs. Would a All-Reigion piece be appoprate?

Thanks for many replies, and sorry if I bugged many of the older members.

~Carbs