Klarinet Archive - Posting 000380.txt from 2004/02
From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Bass Clarinets
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2004 14:02:18 -0500
Well, I looked around our music room and decided that I don't own enough
clarinets. The obvious candidate at this point is a bass. My wife got her
piccolo last year, so now it's my turn for a new horn.
I strongly believe the advice that I myself have given myself before - the
most important part of choosing a clarinet is to play it yourelf. The
immediate problem here is that my sum total experience in playing bass is
about 30 bars in the pit for "Annie Get Your Gun" many moons ago.
It did not go well.
So, some questions for you folk who play this thing regularly, in the hope
that I can benefit some from your experience:
1) Cheap Out?
If I buy a servicable student-level horn - say, a Bundy or Vito - I fear
that I will end up buying two bass clarinets, this first one and the low-C
professional model that I'll ultimately end up with. (I am doomed this way,
since I think I'll need the range to low C for intended use, and this is the
pattern followed to date with my closet full of saxophones.) I'm told,
however, that the Bundy can be tweaked into a pretty servicable instrument.
Thoughts?
2) Low C?
In his master class at ClarinetFest two years ago, John Yeh told the crowd
that those taking orchestral auditions should always have a clarinet to low
C, as you can't win an audition the requires notes you can't play. This
seems like very good advice for that intended audience. While my intended
use is (or at least includes) orchestral literature, though, I'm not in the
professional audition-taking mode; my expected use is primarily in the pit
for musicals, the odd community orchestra, and maybe a pickup group for
Schoenberg's Pierrot lunaire if I get good enough on it.
So - for you folks out there how play orchestrally - can one get by with a
bass clarinet with the shorter range to Eb, or is there a lot in the
literature that requires the extended range? If one needs the extended
range for the bass clarinet literature as much we need a bassett clarinet, I
see no need for me to spend the extra dough. If a significant plurality of
works require it, though, I'll write the bigger check. How much is the
lower range actually used?
3) Mouthpiece?
This is a hoary subject, I know. I could spend a ton on bass clarinet
mouthpieces - and undoubtedly will once I get better at it. What I need to
start, however, is the bass clarinet equivalent of Clark Fobes' Debut -
serviceable and cheap, one that may not be optimal long-term but will work.
Ideas?
4) Brand?
Ugh, I know. I've read the archives, all about the debate of the venerable
Selmer v. the New Buffet 1193, what with the revised neck angle and all. No
need to repeat that. Two specific questions:
a) I get the impression that Leblancs aren't as good in this space of
the market. Differ? Worth trying as well, or not bother?
b) Anyone ever try the Yamaha professional model? I heard John Yeh play
one, sounded terrific - but he likely would sound as good on a garden hose
of equal length. I've had very good luck with their sopranos, so if the
quality control carries over methinks this could be a good one to try too.
aTdHvAaNnKcSe! (that's "thanks in advance"),
Kevin Fay
kevinfay@-----.com
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