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Nothing to see here...

A local band director once brought in a Selmer BASSET HORN for repair. It was in almost perfect condition but the aperture key (left hand first finger) was missing. I don't know how.

He wanted it fixed while he waited! Selmer said the wait would be up to a year. I ordered an alto clarinet key and made it work with extensive modification - 1 week.

See - these things are useful after all.
 
Groovekiller said:
A local band director once brought in a Selmer BASSET HORN for repair. It was in almost perfect condition but the aperture key (left hand first finger) was missing. I don't know how.

He wanted it fixed while he waited! Selmer said the wait would be up to a year. I ordered an alto clarinet key and made it work with extensive modification - 1 week.

See - these things are useful after all.
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lol
yes
they are useful to have parts stolen off of them to help another useless instrument
:)
 
I think Terry just got pwn'd.

Hey, while I love the contrabass clarinet (for instance), I can certainly accept that the CB isn't really all that necessary. Unless you need a reedier tuba. That doesn't project as well.
 
A friend of mine plays contra bass and he says that the ensemble can tell when he's not playing because they don't "feel" his playing.
 
SOTSDO said:
Somewhere, someone has probably tried to major in performance on the alto clarinet. Somewhere, someone has probably tried to become the professor of alto clarinet at an institute of higher education. And, all over the world, there are those who cling to their neither fish nor fowl instruments, hoping against hope that someday, their day will come.
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Waiting for a modern day musical Gainsborough and his Blue Boy solo?

I don't understand why this instrument is not more popular. It's range is similar to, but even broader than, the tenor saxophone.
 
Adagio said:
I don't understand why this instrument is not more popular. It's range is similar to, but even broader than, the tenor saxophone.
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From what I've heard, and I have asked a number of directors, the instrument is too soft to be heard in a band. Combo maybe, band, no so much. Still this makes me want to pull out my alto clarinet and give it a toot. :cool:
 
Adagio said:
Waiting for a modern day musical Gainsborough and his Blue Boy solo?

I don't understand why this instrument is not more popular. It's range is similar to, but even broader than, the tenor saxophone.
Click to expand...
Because the bass clarinet has a range -- and pitch -- closer to a tenor sax and sounds better. Not that I'm trying to give Terry more ammunition, but it's true ....

I think one of the big problems with the AC is that it's never been utilized properly. When it's in a high school band, for instance, it's generally covering an alto sax part, which is (more often than not) covering a French horn part.
 
The insanity continues...

It doesn't help when your alto clarinet's tone has been described as "insipid" by more than one orchestration book...

Some misguided soul just now has a Selmer or Leblanc alto up on eBay with the incredible price up in the $2,500 range. Good luck with that, deluded owner...
 
I've found the old Leblanc altos that the tone is not very inspired. I then slighty tweak the body octave vent (make it a slightly larger diameter) and the tone becomes more powerful and fuller (something I learned years ago in tweaking my Selmer mk VII tenor sax). As long as you don't make it too big, you won't affect the balance and playability of the instrument - but it is a "fine" line.

The last one I tweaked got me inspired and I nearly bought an alto clarinet ..... but certainly not for $2500 .... I thought $500 was too much on eBay and let it go .....
 
Well I like the Alto :eek:

There was aTV show called The Storyteller that had an alto clarinet melody.
It sounded like no other clarinet. Neither bass nor soprano could have played it.
I think the instrument has it's place.

Besides what other pro level clarinet can be had for under $300 ? ;)
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