Klarinet Archive - Posting 000541.txt from 1995/04

From: Gordon Tulloch <Gordon_Tulloch@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: Bass Clarinet Range
Date: Fri, 28 Apr 1995 12:22:29 -0400

Tom Ascher writes:
>
> This talk of playing a bass clarinet up to and beyond super-C (C'''') has
> me curious. Is this really common for bass clarinetist's to play in the
> altissimo range? For that matter, how common is it for the SOPRANO
> clarinet to be used in this range? Is there much music that goes beyond
> F'''?! Forgive my ignorance I'm just starting out and proud to be able to
> hit the F'''!

Tom:

Commonly, I get lots of music in the register above middle C with occasional
forays into the higher registers when I'm playing the same part as the
french horn - seems to be a compatible sound.

For years, I was completely unsuccessful in getting above fifth line F - as
are most of the bass clarinetists I meet at community band festivals and so
on. The instrument just wouldn't go there! I started to get the notes when
I did two things - move to a quite hard reed (3.5 or 4) and I put the
instrument in to have the keys aligned and checked - lo and behold, all
sorts of misalignments. Once I did these things, I can play all the notes I
can on the sporano, except easier on the lip :)

Thought this might be of interest to some.

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