 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kilo
Date: 2026-07-14 17:23
Throughout most of the year I practice and perform on my two low C basses, an Alpha and a Max. But for summer concert band I prefer to use my old Model 30. I've noticed that it takes a particular effort to get a strong clean sound on clarion F to G. I find that I need to voice them in a manner very similar to the way I voice in the altissimo range. I don't recall having to do this before I bought the low C's, when I was only playing on the Model 30 and a Yamaha 221 (which I've sold).
I adjust to this quickly once I'm playing but wondered if there might be a mechanical cause behind this effect, whether those notes tend to be quirky on old Selmers, or if there's just been a subtle shift in the way I approach the bass. I'd run it down to my technician (who plays bass) but he's swamped with school instruments all summer and it's not an emergency. If there could be a regulation problem – pad height, a small leak – what should I look for? I'd like to be able to give my technician a good diagnosis if I end up taking it to him in the fall.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-07-14 18:11
That's the weak point of the upper register on many basses with double speaker vents as the speaker vent for that part of the upper register ideally needs to be located through the top joint socket. The crook key/upper speaker vent is located too high for upper F/G, but that's only done as a compromise and to keep the automatic speaker mechanism simple with the two vents instead of a far more complicated fully automatic triple vent mechanism.
My Buffet Prestige bass upper F# is a wonky note when played with the standard fingering xxx|oxo, but will speak much cleaner and less likely to kick with played with the fully vented fingering xxx|xo/o especially when staccato or accent tonguing it, combined with some embouchure, air flow and breath support adjustments.
A different internally shaped or diameter speaker tube could be used to help things, but that's all down to experimentation - an internally threaded bush could be soldered to the crook where the vents go and you can have a series of different screw in vent tubes made up that can easily be fitted to it (instead of having to unsolder and resolder them each time) should you want to go down that route.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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