Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-02-11 20:30
Terry, you're generally correct --- but when you need the extra low notes, you REALLY need them. Some years back I was subbing in a local professional orchestra (during my one year in the AFM) and we were doing both the Sacre du Printemps and Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet complete ballet --- there were many exposed and important 'extended' notes and my bass clarinet only went to low-Eb ---- it was very embarrassing and I was not hired again by that group. Also, I'm finding that more and more of the modern concert band literature calls for the low notes, although they can be gotten around ALMOST all the time. Some will also say that modern solo literature for bass clarinet requires the extended-range horn, and that's probably true, but from what I've heard of that literature most if it isn't worth hearing (or playing) anyway....  The bottom line is, if one is serious about playing classical bass clarinet nowadays, the extended range is probably a requirement, despite all the extra cost and drawbacks. This is why I made my homemade extension easily removable --- I can leave it in its bag 99% of the time, and only put it on for those relatively rare occasions when the extra notes are called for. There's no doubt my bass clarinet plays, feels, and sounds better without the extension (and I don't need to sit on top of cushions).
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The Clarinet BBoard
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