Low Clarinet Instruction

Learn about the low clarinets from a Marine Band musician. Lesson includes musical demonstrations of each instrument, plus tips on switching between them.
This video has been made available thanks to the All-Star Orchestra in partnership with Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org), the free educational website that reaches 30 million students and 750,000 teachers each month in over 200 countries. Watch more instructional videos: • All Star Band Khan Aca...
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[@TheEarthScienceTeacher]

I sympathize with her about switching instruments in a concert. One concert in college I was playing the Bass, contralto(Eb) and contra(Bb). There was practically no space for all of them because I was next to a bassoonist playing the contra bassoon in the middle of the band. I spent most of the down time before the concert bringing them to stage. I loved playing them all, but of course I had to switch between each of the 5 songs.

[@super20dan]

i can relate-i play alto and bass clarinet and also eb sop clar in a band and it takes me longer to set up and break down than any one else.

[@jnbplaysgames]

Why contraalto and contrabass? I know at my old high school, sometimes the contraalto player is given the tuba parts when the piece doesn't call for them.

[@JustClaude13]

I love the sound of the alto clarinet. It's the cello of clarinets and should have its own repertoire like a cello does.

[@shedcrawler2883]

I'd say it's more like a viola

[@jmwoods190]

@@shedcrawler2883 Actually the alto clarinet's range is the closest to the tenor/octave violin i.e. the now-obscure string instrument between the viola(corresponding to Bb/A clarinet) & cello. The tenor violin goes down to the same pitch as Low E on an alto clarinet(Concert G2), and it fell out of popularity in orchestras(but still found in some chamber and folk music) due to the improved lower & upper registers of the viola & cello respectively, a somewhat similar reason given the alto clarinet's decline in popularity. That said, both instruments, especially the alto clarinet, has actually more uses than one may expect, and deserve a revival!

[@Mob-tq7gv]

At my Highschool I’m the only bass clarinet and I also have an alto. Most of the bands we perform agains usually have stuff like soprano sax solos I hope I get like an alto clarinet solo next year. Hopefully there will also be more bass clarinets

[@Altoclarineto]

I wonder if bro ever got to play an alto clarinet solo

[@Mob-tq7gv]

@@Altoclarineto lol no. I've only played my alto clarinet once and it was in middle school.

[@Clarinetfanz]

I’ve played on an alto, bass, and contra alto clarinet!

[@kingsolomon1841]

Contrabass is so much fun

[@kingsolomon1841]

It’s so low

[@x______________username1989]

I just got my contrabass clarinet from my school!! I have been play the bass clarinet before. Also play jut the clarinet! I want to try the eb and alto clarinet too!!

[@KariIzumi1]

Me too :)

[@KariIzumi1]

@@x______________username1989 oof, alto clarinet kicked my ass, lol....I wish you the best of luck fam 💗

[@mikesb69-87]

I think the alto clarinet sounds really nice!

[@bobogus7559]

I'm really a big fan of the alto clarinet and use it quite often as a solo and harmony instrument in orchestral compositions. It sounds deep enough to take on lower harmonies that aren't quite the bassline, but also sounds light enough to take on more delicate melodies that extend a bit below the soprano clarinet's range.

[@quanhoangclarinettist6225]

Wow you have a BEAUTIFUL sound on these instruments, Shannon! Rich and sonorous! I aspire to sound good like you one day on these low clarinets.

[@ronaldthomas74]

Love that sound on the E flat alto clarinet !!!!

[@danielm4086]

I like to call them the big bendy ones

[@michaelshelley1289]

the alto is my favorite too!!!!! TY for mentioning it!!! I'm currently playing it for a college band (it's a community band)

[@scottcameron8376]

This is a terrific video! Shannon Kiewitt presents a fantastic interview and introduces these instruments to a new audience. I will use this in my classroom. Thanks to Col F and the rest of the USMB for this and the other videos you are producing.

[@balderdash14]

Beautiful Eb contra playing!

[@GoBassOrGoHome]

This is my private tutor! She’s so amazing

[@chrisbillings7233]

the alto clarinet is the viola of the clarinet family

[@super20dan]

alto is my fav also . i have 4. bundy , 2 noblets , marlerne and a selmer mod 22. i switch back and forth in band between alto and bass

[@nervchemnitz]

My alto clarinet salutes you Staff Sgt! Thank you for this video.

[@ULT3rdParty]

I love the contra clarinet E flat and really want to play it in band, but we can’t do contra clarinet for some reason, so I’m stuck with playing bass clarinet.

[@agenttexx]

I played Bass Clarinet for a semester in College band and I found it difficult to play. I also played Bari Sax in which i used the same reeds for each instrument and found Bari Sax while have about the same sized mouthpiece was easier to play for longer. I came from a Brass background - trumpet, trombone, euphonium and tuba. But Bass clarinet seemed to be the most difficult for me personally. It also has a beautiful sound when playing.

[@buggyhuman]

My high school jazz band just had a concert and I was swapping from clarinet to bass clarinet to tenor saxophone- super fun concert but man was my clarinet flat haha

[@andraebanks]

I love the Alto Clarinet! Played it in 9th, 10, and part of 11th grade. Then I went to the Bb Contrabads

[@Jaujau933]

That lady sounds good on all instruments, that uniform 😱😱😱😱

[@j.ohnnyengelke]

My favorite place to be in the clarinet section!!

[@mambojazz1]

She has the Buffet Prestige the best alto clarinet money can buy ($13,000)

[@super20dan]

i once played one and omg! its awesume

[@Ziloph]

I play eb contra alto and contrabass clarinet and bass clarinet and thank you so much for the tips about the mouth piece staying warm and for the contrabass I have to use a stool😅 haha I play a Leblanc Bb contrabass and paper clip eb contra alto and a buffet crampton bass clarinet and we premiered a new piece from Gary gilroy search it up ! A Place For All! Premiere concert honoring Mr McCormick over all thanks for the tips!

[@SarahSkilton]

Great video, thank you. I have played Bass and would love to play Alto one day.

[@barbarossa1234]

Outstanding.

[@MathewJPerez1812]

Ive never heard an a Eb contra sound this good before

[@TheEarthScienceTeacher]

I loved playing the eb Contra. The Bb contra is so picky and finicky (at least the one I played in University), the Eb had the low sound of the Bb contra, but played like the bass it was the best and my favorite one to play.

[@derrickweaver9335]

@@TheEarthScienceTeacher I want to play Contrabass Clarinet so bad but my highschool school doesn’t have one so now I play Contra Alto

[@dumbpunk1165]

i play clarinet and bass is my fave to play

[@idk-ki8mn]

I love alto clarinet but my band director won't let me play it😢

[@Shelby-jo1rf]

I play bass clarinet and soprano clarinet and I get called the most important instrument in the band

[@Iggykoop]

I've heard the alto clarinet referred to as the Viola of the clarinet section. 😭

[@wilhelmorangenbaum2]

That's should not be an insult, but a compliment, both instruments are beautiful

[@HelloIAmNextToYou]

I have a question, where can I learn to play contra-alto clarinet? I looked for teachers and books but I could not find anything, any answers?

[@GoBassOrGoHome]

I am a student under Shannon Kiewitt herself and I would be happy to answer your questions. There arnt many teachers in the world who teach this awesome instrument. You need a professional like her to teach you specificly

[@cloutelfin8323]

I watch too many of these LMAO

[@Brad-xj1rl]

Could you share your setup on Alto Clarinet?

[@Citizen-of-theworld]

The alto and bass clarinet appear to be almost the same as alto and tenor saxophones, especially as the mouth pieces are so similar

[@toastboi5106]

Except the alto clarinet is actually in the tenor register, and the bass in the baritone register. Also the contra-alto is in the bass saxophone register and the contrabass in b-flat is in the contrabass saxophone register, octocontra-alto clarinets are in the subcontrabass saxophone register, and octocontrabasses are their own thing unless you compare it to a 64' organ. Why the hell am I such a band nerd ;-;

[@derrickweaver9335]

@@toastboi5106 It’s kind for Clarinets because Clarinet and Saxophone have different ranges. For example Alto Clarinet and Alto Saxophone play on the same octave but Alto Clarinet can play lower than Alto Saxophone which can make it seem more of a Tenor voice rather than an Alto Voice. Even though Bass Clarinet and Tenor Saxophone play on the same octave Bass Clarinet can play lower than Tenor Saxophone which is why it is called Bass Clarinet

[@SaneTheBro]

The President's Own is now my second choice if I don't make it into the Commandant's Own

[@alecrodriguez7074]

the only acceptable alto clarinet

[@super20dan]

the buffet? i agree its best but my selmer 22 is close

[@wilhelmorangenbaum2]

@@super20dan Noblets are also great.

[@super20dan]

@@wilhelmorangenbaum2 agreed! i have 2 and one is truely exceptional

[@armand7926]

Lmao people actually say that about the alto clarinet

[@ronm3245]

I like how she defends the alto, then proceeds to play it horribly out of tune. Also, a little disappointed that she never got to the Bb contra.

[@derrickweaver9024]

First of all you must not play clarinet because her Alto Clarinet was perfectly in tune. I was also confused why she didn’t play the Contrabass Clarinet especially if she was supposed to cover the whole low clarinet section

[@ronm3245]

@@derrickweaver9024 I have played soprano, bass, and contra alto, and contra bass clarinets over the past 50 years or so. But I haven't played an alto. I'm guessing that your statement about her alto being in tune was just a joke, but it came across as serious.

[@derrickweaver9024]

@@ronm3245 It wasn’t a joke… Her Alto Clarinet was perfectly in tune.

[@Barak925]

@@derrickweaver9024 the high C on the Alto Clarinet was high, but otherwise, you’re correct

[@Aduysvmncmkouyf]

Yeah, Her Alto playing was mostly in-tune, you clearly don’t know what you’re talking about.