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Re: duet repertoire incl bass cl

Author: allencole
Date: 2004-06-19 16:33

Actually, Freddy Mercury doesn't sound that crazy at all. "Another One Bites the Dust" would lead her through at least a few things.

One possible problem: The fact, mentioned above, that there really isn't much of a role available to this instrument in rock and roll. Students should be encouraged to pursue their interests, but they have to understand and accept what part of the REAL world that instrument belongs in. I would also take it as a warning sign that a student hasn't practiced much AND wants to change styles. This could turn out to be the first in a series of maneuvers to escape real challenges. I've seen a couple of bright-but-lazy students retreat from clarinet to bass clarinet to saxophone to pure frustration.

I also have my doubts on how to get past the ceiling for a bass clarinetist who doesn't have or practice a regular clarinet. Books are hard to find past the middle school level, and the cheaper instruments make it difficult to take on regular clarinet materials as the tessitura rises.

Trying out for school jazz band would be a good challenge and would probably inject a dose of reality as well. (she may have to pick up a saxophone) How about an adult community band? It won't necessarily satisfy the urge to rock, but it might provide an environment where the realities of the bass clarinet prove more stimulating than at school.

As for rock, there's no reason why it can't be at least part of the educational mosaic. Specific suggestions:

1 - Teach her some licks from the lexicon of air-guitar favorites: Signature licks from Smoke on the Water, Iron Man, Sunshine of Your Love, (the Iron Butterfly tune that we all know, but I can't spell), etc. And, of course, Another One Bites the Dust.

2 - For duets how about a little exercise in elementary improvisation? Two students of mine developed this on their own. Learn the I-IV guitar pattern that provides the main structure for "My Girl" (each is a complete one-octave pentatonic scale) Encourage her to improvise over the pentatonic scale that goes with the "I" chord. You can take turns playing together--one improvising over the pentatonic scale, and one playing the I-IV pattern as an accompaniment. "Stand by Me" is a good vehicle for this same activity as well.

She isn't going to go but so far on #1, but #2 will really teach her something. Plus, coping with the practical realities of it may make her appreciate how easy some of her regular work is.

3 - An addition to the Quintet suggestion. Since it is an awful lot of work to transpose from bass clef (and maybe tenor clef!) at age 15, it would be good to know that Rubank has a quintet book which has an alternative bass clarinet part. Rubank's woodwind trios Vol.2 also has a bass clarinet as an alternative to the bassoon, as do many arrangements written for woodwind trio by Bill Holcombe which are available from the Gazebo Series at Musician's Publications.

Where there is no reason not to get some rock style skills, I do think that you have to be careful to make your student understand the world that her instrument lives in. A student who wants to play rock should already be making a healthy attempt on her own--and why not on piano? A student who wants to be spoon-fed in an unusual niche is quickly going to exhaust what little in baby food there is to offer. I hope that this gives you a couple more spoonfuls, but your student needs to do the equivalent of picking her own fruit ASAP, and butchering her own meat in the long run.

Best of luck to you both.

Allen Cole

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