 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Laurie
Date: 2003-03-19 03:57
Hi !
Does anyone know why the fundemental of a Clarinet is Bb ? If so, Why is our lowest note a F# ( concert )/ E (Sounded ) NOT Bb ? I am really confused. Help!
Laurie.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-03-19 06:11
Laurie, rather than saying the "fundamental" of a Clarinet is Bb, it's preferred to say the "pitch" of the instrument is Bb. The pitch is based on the fingering used in the Clarion register.
Convention for a few centuries has been that with all fingers down on a simple instrument with no pads, if the note produced is concert C, the instrument is said to be pitched in C. If the note produced is concert Bb, the instrument is said to be pitched in Bb. And so forth. That fingering translates on the Clarinet to TR L1 L2 L3 R1 R2 R3 plus R4 closing the next lower pad. That's what produces a written C on all Clarinets that are playing from a staff using the treble clef. With a Bb Clarinet, the note sounded is concert Bb. Remember that the Clarinet operates with a twelfth difference between the Chalumeau and Clarion registers. Thus the Chalumeau register is actually in Eb, but we seldom think of that. Clarinet players, of course, learn the different fingerings of both registers (plus the altissimo).
The reason for going to all this trouble is so that Clarinets can be made in different sizes, yet all have the same fingering for written notes. That means the composer or arranger must transpose the notes to the correct staff positions and use the proper key signatures. Otherwise, playing various sizes of Clarinets would require a totally different fingering chart for each size, except fot those related by octaves, which surely would drive some players up a tree.
Regards,
John
Post Edited (2003-03-19 07:14)
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Author: Pam H.
Date: 2003-03-19 11:36
Another way to think of it is that when you play a C on a Bb clarinet, it sounds like a Bb on a non-transposing instrument such as the piano. The same is true say if you play a C on an alto sax (Eb) - that it will match the pitch of an Eb on the piano.
Non-transposing instruments, such as the violin, flute, bassoon, etc. will match the pitch that is written.
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Author: Tom Piercy
Date: 2003-03-19 11:59
Laurie,
From your note above:
"Why is our lowest note a F# ( concert )/ E (Sounded )... "
Our lowest note is Written E - Sounding D.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-03-19 13:20
There are many good posts on this subject. Try searching for
transposing instrument
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