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 bass troubles
Author: Julie 
Date:   2005-02-26 23:09

Hello, all,
I've only been playing bass since before Christmas for Solo and Ensemble. Is it just me, or does middle B (third line) not work as it should? Between me and my friend, who also plays the bass, we haven't been able to produce a B. He can't on his bass and I've had two and have not able to do it on the first one I was given and the one I'm currently using.

I think it has to do with the keys or something. I'm able to play low E...
I don't even have a post, so I use the neck strap.
When I started playing one of our songs, the first five measures are all clarinet and my band director messed with it for five minutes. It was really out of tune and this was the first bass I was on, so every time I had to play B, which was twice, in that opening statement. B is the only note I have a problem getting out. The second bass I'm on is the same. I'm on 2 1/2 Rico reeds and I'm going to experiment with my tenor reed. I can't believe the price of bass reeds.
Our band director wanted a clarinet choir at Solo and Ensemble and it needed a bass part and that got handed to me. I'm really able to adapt well with changing instruments. I started playing alto right after Christmas when I was in 8th grade and was able to play it.
I'm going to look at my bass before class on Monday and see what is wrong with it.
Thanks for all the help.



Post Edited (2005-02-26 23:12)

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 Re: bass troubles
Author: DavidBlumberg 
Date:   2005-02-27 00:45

So you can play a C no problem?


It would be most likely a leaking pad (B, C, etc) for that particular note. Can you play high G ok? (top space).

Bass Clarinet's are notorious for leaking. A badly leaking Bass Clarinet would scare even the best player on earth.



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 Re: bass troubles
Author: Julie 
Date:   2005-02-27 01:02

DavidBlumberg wrote:

> So you can play a C no problem?

> It would be most likely a leaking pad (B, C, etc) for that
> particular note. Can you play high G ok? (top space).
>
> Bass Clarinet's are notorious for leaking. A badly leaking Bass
> Clarinet would scare even the best player on earth.


I can play high G and C fine, just have to have a lot of breath support for G. I know that when my Bb clarinet had a leak, it was the scariest thing in the world. It was right before our marching competition at district. Worked at practice earlier at our school and then at warmup, no such luck. I was in tears. Well, like I said earlier, I'm going to look at it on Monday.



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 Re: bass troubles
Author: ron b 
Date:   2005-02-27 06:35

Is there some way you can ask a repair technician to examine it? A good tech should be able to determine the problem rather quickly by just play-testing it.

- r[cool]n b -

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 Re: bass troubles
Author: Don Berger 
Date:   2005-02-27 14:58

Like with the OLD thumbrest problem, we have discussed these bass cl problems near to death, please do a bit of archive Searching perhaps using key-words related to "pad leakage" and [lack of] "double register keying". Doing a bit of tweaking-repair on both soprano and bass cls, I'd guess that one or both of these is the root of your non-response difficulties. We will need to know 1. what BC you are playing [student or pro, etc], 2. has it been leak checked/repaired recently, to help you further. Don

Thanx, Mark, Don

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