Klarinet Archive - Posting 000380.txt from 1994/11

From: "William A. Helmers" <reedman@-----.EDU>
Subj: "Improved bass clarinet neck"
Date: Sun, 27 Nov 1994 23:57:12 -0500

Many bass clarinetists have found the steeply angled bass clarinet
neck to be a welcome improvement. Although I can appreciate why a
clarinettist might feel more comfortable approaching a bass clarinet in this
way, I have several reservations regarding the use of such a neck:

1. In order to execute a short staccato on the bass clarinet, it is
necessary to tongue at the extreme tip of the reed/mouthpiece (similar
to bassoon articulation). With a steeply-angled neck, the player is forced to
contact the reed well beneath the tip, making it difficult to achieve a short
staccatto.

2. The steeper angle can cause a greater surface area of the lower lip to
contact the reed, resulting in a loss of tonal focus.

3. The angled neck promotes a different shape in the oral cavity than is
usual with the conventional neck. In my experience, articulating at the
extreme tip of the mouthpiece/reed causes the front part of the tongue to
point upward and the back part of the tongue to assume a lower position.
This results in an oral cavity shape which is conducive to a rich tone
quality and improved response. In addition, with a conventional neck, the
top of the mouthpiece is lower in the oral cavity, once again producing a
more open shape toward the back of the mouth.

Since I am new to the list, I assume that this topic has been
discussed previously. Although I have not had success with the
steeply-angled neck, I realize that many bass clarinetists feel that it is a
major improvement. I would be interested in hearing about what some of the
benefits of using this neck might be.