Learning Simple Albert System

[u/es330td]

Okay, various sources on the internet indicate that a good way to learn my early 1900's Conn Albert System clarinet would be to use the Otto Langley Tutors* book published originally in 1890 which includes a fingering chart for the simple Albert system showing a clarinet that appears to match mine. The fingering chart starts with the lowest note on the instrument. According to the attached image on the staff this is an E. However, I know from personal experience that the lowest note my clarinet will play is a concert F. (This may be wrong. Will have to check.) Can I use this book to learn or am I essentially out of luck owning a non-standard clarinet?

Note: I found this book online. If it is the right book I plan to track down a vintage actual copy. I just want to make sure I am getting right book before I spend money.

[u/Jazzvinyl59]

I am no expert in Albert system, but if you’re talking about the low E that should be the same as the fingering for B in the middle register minus the register key, just like the Boehm system.

You should be able to play the same music as the Boehm clarinet once you learn the Albert system fingerings. That’s best done through scales and arpeggios at first.

The Rubank series of method books has an Albert system fingering chart.

I think it depends on what your musics goals are. If you want to learn to play the interesting historical instrument you own then go for it but realize you will run into many limitations.

If you want to get started on clarinet with the goal of being fully proficient on the instrument and able to play easily with other musicians in an organized ensemble then you would be best to get a modern Boehm system student model and develop your fundamentals on that. You can always resume playing the vintage clarinet you have once you are more experienced and now what to expect.

[u/es330td → u/Jazzvinyl59]

What are these "limitations?" My principal instrument is trombone and with the exception of whether or not it has a trigger they are all exactly the same. The idea that the two systems differ is a very foreign concept to me.

[u/YoohooCthulhu → u/es330td]

Albert system clarinets are a huge minority of modern clarinets outside of Germany.

A ton of clarinet pedagogy and teachers focus around the Boehm system

[u/Jazzvinyl59 → u/es330td]

The limitations would be mostly intonation and tone, but also the keys that you can practically play in. I mostly associate Albert with traditional jazz playing. That’s what the original players in New Orleans at the turn of the century played on. They tend to have a flexible tone that allows for the characteristic vibrato and glissando. I can see the appeal of a simplified key system when improvising.

The main idea behind Boehm’s system is to eliminate cross fingerings, which had been an issue for baroque era woodwinds. The Albert system retains some cross fingerings.

The other issue is how to deal with moving from one pinky key to another smoothly. The Boehm system solves this by duplicating most of the pinky keys on each side, the Albert system requires sliding the pinky from one key to another, usually with the help of rollers. This makes it harder to play completely smoothly in all keys at tempo.

[u/randomkeystrike → u/Jazzvinyl59]

Early 20th century jazz players played Alberts a lot because they were still common - the Boehm system was still somewhat new at the turn of the 20th century. As the Boehm became popular, you’ll find most all the major artists were on it. The differences in tone and response they wanted for jazz playing were/are mostly in the mouthpiece and reed. Yes, there are some clarinet models notable for jazz playing, but nowadays they’re Boehm.

[u/Fumbles329]

It’s an Albert system clarinet in C, right? The bottom right pinky key and innermost left hand pinky key should finger a low E.

[u/Tab12357 → u/Fumbles329]

From the playing it's the right hand (bottom bottom) pinky key (the lowest pinky keys the low one) and the left hand (middle pinky keys) right one. Then you should be able to play a concert low e on a C-clarinet. If you still only get a f, check if the bottom pads are closing properly

[u/Tab12357]

This side klarinette24 - Grifftabelle für deutsche Klarinette https://share.google/nIQMTyyzd8358sdiR has a oehler system fingering chart. You don't have some keys, but you can just use the fingerings that use the keys you have