 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ben
Date: 2004-09-23 17:53
I found an interesting picture of J. Lawrie Bloom in concert from the last OK Clarinet symposium:
http://members.tripod.com/wka7/Bloom-BCL-stage.JPG
It looks to me as though he has an extra long peg and was using it to stand and perform (also note the music stand height).
Was anyone at this concert or seen Mr. Bloom or others perform in a similar manner?
Does Buffet offer such a peg, or would that be something one would have to have custom built?
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2004-09-23 19:32
Dennis Smylie here in NYC often performs standing with his low C Bass Clarinet, and uses a longer Bass peg to ease the load.
His email address is:
dsmylie@mymailstation.com
Good luck,
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: William
Date: 2004-09-23 21:02
One of my friends, here in the "heartland", plays a Buffet Prestige low C clarinet with a (longer) Bundy Resonite Eb bass bell peg for standing or sitting on a stool. She is only 5'5'' and sitting is difficult because she has to tilt the low C bass toward her in order to reach the mouthpiece. The angled neckpiece makes this acceptable, once you get used to it, but it is still somewhat of a streach for the RH little finger notes. Standing with a longer Bundy Eb peg on your low C bass (or sitting on a higher stool) is more comfortable--and for me, totally acceptable if you do not block anyones vision.
But then, again, who really watchs conductors anyhow?????
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Author: Gardini
Date: 2004-09-23 21:58
The phenomenal Henri Bok uses a strap and a padded peg-like thing that rests on his sternum. It looks terribly uncomfortable to me, but he swears by it, and who am I to question a master like Henri.
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Author: Contra
Date: 2004-09-23 22:37
I never found it hard to play a bass clarinet standing up. I didn't have a strap either. Other things about stuff.
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Author: Dawne
Date: 2004-09-24 10:19
I bet you could get some kind of rod at home depot that would work....either brass rodding or aluminum....and then put a little rubber tip on it. If it is the same diameter as one's regular peg, it should fit in the peg holder. I wonder if it would cause extra strain on the peg holder though.
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Author: lowclarinetman
Date: 2004-09-24 13:58
I have plaed both with a an extended peg and a strap.
if u have a friend in a machine shop you can easily get a peg that is exactly matched to both your instrument and your height. When i had mine made i took the removable end of the buffet peg, and a rod of aluminum. After i would just chage the round ball back and forth depending on what i was playing. I eventually got rid of that peg because i switched to selmers and the peg would no longer fit the horn, and it no longer fit my style of playing.
I have studied with both dennis smylie and henri bok..
the setup henri uses is no longer possible to get installed on bass clarinets due to a high possibilty of cracks. The peg is installed above the thumb rest fairly close to the top of the lower joint. it is good because it keeps the bass clarinet directly in front of you, more or less like you play when you are sitting, instead of the slightly to the side/saxophone style that is easy to fall into with just a neck strap. I forgot the brand of his neck strap but it also hooks onto ones belt so it takes additional strain away from the neck.
personally i play just using a normal neck strap, i have friends that use the kind that goes around both arms and it gives more support if you find that you are getting tired from the neckstrap.
personally i do not like the pegs anymore becuase they anchor you to one place and restrict all sorts of movement. To me sitting down has never been a good option for solists, unless you are a cellist, it just doesn't look good to me. I have accomplished friends that swear on sitting down as well.
At the end of the day, you need to decide which style of playing is going to suite you best, and is most comfortable to you.
Playing bass clarinet standing up is a soloist thing. I play this way when i give recitals, do concertos and practice(anything but orchestral music which i always practice sitting, and i always play sitting in my orchestra as well
good luck with your bass clarineting.
bob hoit
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Author: donald
Date: 2004-09-24 23:05
Andrew Uren (NZs main Bass Guy for solo/comteporary virtuoso Bass playing) uses a long peg for playing standing up, but also has various straps for situations where this could be more appropriate (for example- a piece where he had to play with his shadow cast on to a screen, and with correographed movements).
Last year i played in a recording of a Bass clarinet and Cello duo concerto (with chamber orchestra) and the Cellist sat while he stood.
After you have paid $$$$$$$$$ for your bass clarinet, it's not too much bother to get a peg made, even if you are in a situation where you'll only use it every now and again...
donald
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2004-09-25 04:07
My son played a bass in marching band for 2 years using a neck strap. Not the easiest thing, but do-able. He played tenor sax parts.
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2004-09-27 01:13
Well, I play my Selmer model 33 off of the peg while sitting, tilting the horn out slightly before me so that the mouthpiece (on a modified Bay neck) enters the mouth at about the normal soprano angle. However, when I occasionally have to stand for a solo (our arrangement of Sentimental Journey, for example; rhythm section, female vocal and bass clarinet only), I just play it off of my thumb. It's not practical to finger any of the extension notes that way, but otherwise it's agile enough. Wouldn't want to play that way for a hour or so, though...
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Author: Arnold the basset hornist
Date: 2004-09-28 07:55
Attachment: stehen.pdf (43k)
Hello,
just a view notes from my experiences of practicing basset horn when standing (see attachment). I do not feel comfort at all when using a neck strap.
By the way, the english text is not a full translation of the german text.
Arnold (the basset hornist)
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Author: William
Date: 2004-09-28 15:05
Only hit the "Post" key one time only......
(Official Notice from the Office of Redundancy Office Notice Official)
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Author: Arnold the basset hornist
Date: 2004-09-29 07:12
Hm,
that must have happend whe I pressed "Add Attachements" but then I decided to edit post again before I "post" it.
Arnold (the basset hornist)
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