Klarinet Archive - Posting 000303.txt from 1997/11

From: SCM9348 <SCM9348@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Bass clarinet books
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 1997 12:46:33 -0500

In a message dated 97-11-06 20:04:51 EST, you write:

<< If you have a low C on your horn (which I assume you do!), buy a book of
the Bach Suites for Unaccompanied Cello - and learn them. By the end of
the book, you will read bass clef quite well! Once you reach the end,
practice tranposing them to the key of A (as though it was a Bass
Clef part calling for A Bass Clarinet).....you will have that skill down
pretty well too by the end!
>>

I appreciate your optimistic assumption! That actually does lead me to
another question. I'm am in the market for a new bass clarinet. I've tried
an Eb Prestidge and an Eb Selmer Paris. I tend to like the sound of the
Selmer (of course I only played one so its not a great comparison) over the
Prestidge. But if I get the bass to C, will there be any compromise of tone
with say, low F, E, Eb? I believe we discussed this once already, but there
are some that say the bass's with low C tend to change the tonal color over
the entire horn, and some that say with modern manufacturing techniques this
isn't a problem. I've never really gotten to try a low C bass because the
availability just isn't great around here. I'd appreciate your opinions!

--Stephen C. Moore / scm9348@-----.com