 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-03-23 02:08
this may seem like a dumb question, but I have the opprotunity to focus on a secondary clarinet and I am not sure which will be more useful to me, the bass clarinet or the Eb?
-Lindsie
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Author: Contra
Date: 2005-03-23 02:37
I have more fun on bass. I always had more fun on lower-pitched instruments. So I'd go with bass. Which would be more useful depends on what kind of music is being played.
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Author: bflatclarinetist
Date: 2005-03-23 02:39
The bass clarinet helps a lot of breath control. But if you like playing the the altissimo register than knock yourself out!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-03-23 02:52
Neither...
Learn the tenor saxophone ...GBK
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2005-03-23 02:53
bass definitely...more gigs, more parts, less crass...pretty much nicer all around. Less intonation problems too!
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2005-03-23 06:02
Bass helps with breath and with low-part familiarity. Eb helps with disallowing any slight bit of cheating you might do on Bb... it's a picky beast and there's no hiding.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: graham
Date: 2005-03-23 08:23
If you are doing orchestral or chamber music you need to read bass clef well in order to play bass. But it is a skill worth acquiring. You can get type cast more easily on bass.
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Author: starlight
Date: 2005-03-23 11:34
i would say the eefer, for once you conquer the eefer, you will have no problems hitting the altimisso registers on your b-flat!!
plus, it's nicer to carry around than a bass clarinet
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-03-23 11:37
Quote:
Neither...
Learn the tenor saxophone
actually, GBK, I was going to learn the tenor, and still want to, but my school doesn't have any extra. But I have access to both a bass and effer.
Quote:
If you are doing orchestral or chamber music you need to read bass clef well in order to play bass. But it is a skill worth acquiring. You can get type cast more easily on bass.
bass clef on bass? hmm...never gotten bass clef music, but I do need to practice reading it...
I think I'll do bass... the higher register is hard for me, but I think I like the bass better. at least it's easier to tune! thanks for the recommendations!
-Lindsie
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Author: glin
Date: 2005-03-23 12:17
I'd go with the bass clarinet. Eefer parts are not always available. And you should be able to gain an appreciation for the bass line by playing it.
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-03-23 12:24
No doubt for me - bass. More chance for interesting and satisfying play.
Nice to have my eefer for atmospheric pieces though and if the local council wants a building destroyed. (My picc playing friend and I hire ourselves our for a considerable fee. Playing just out of tune works every time - this of course needs no effort on my part.
RT
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-03-23 13:36
Ah, such good advice, a caution on bass playing tho, if you get "fairly" proficient on it, you will quickly want a better one, with DRKeynng [$s], and will find that you just cant find time to play anything else, I still collect alto cl music hoping to play mine [and/or a sax] in our comm. band !! My Eb sop experience was a bit frustrating, trying to be in tune with sharp piccolos and flat Bbs, wqy up there. No problem with the tubas! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: javier garcia m
Date: 2005-03-23 15:27
bass, no doubt. You could became familiar with the realm of bass parts, the ground or fundations of music ensembles.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-03-23 15:43
And if you're planning to play bass clarinet in concert band, you'll become very familiar with doubling the tenor sax, baritone sax, baritone horn/euphonium, trombone, and tuba parts (for which you will not be heard, as they are all louder than you are). In other words, be prepared to accept a certain amount of boredom and humility. On the other hand, the Eb clarinet is ALWAYS a star....
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2005-03-23 20:17
To build on Mr. Spiegenthal's comments, I feel the bass clarinet is one of the most flexible instruments. Composers use it in a variety of different roles including everything from a lower (fourth?) clarinet to a member of the sax family to a member of the basses and everything else, often taking on more than one role in the same piece. (I've played at least one piece that starts with the brass section and then switching to the woodwind section with the bass clarinet and only the bass clarinet playing in both sections.) It is also used as a unique instrument as well. But, at times and particularly in marches, you may find yourself playing what is essentially a tuba part or a trombone part.
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Author: diz
Date: 2005-03-23 20:22
I'm with GBK on this one, learning another instrument like sax or flute will add to your skills repertoire, picking up another clarinet is not a challenge.
Without music, the world would be grey, very grey.
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-03-23 20:38
Well diz, I played clar and sax, but when the bass clt came along a whole new world opened up - that was a huge challenge.
As someone said in another recent post, the deeper the clarinet the easier it is to play in altissimo.
BobT
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Author: music_is_life
Date: 2005-03-23 22:15
diz-
like I said before, I was going to pick up the tenor sax, but my school doesnt have any available. (or flute). or else I would be working on tenor. [or any for that matter]. the only things I have available is contra alto, bass, and Eefer.
I also wouldn't say picking up another clarinet is "easy" but maybe that's just me. I have tried each more than once before and I haven't played either perfectly, so it's no easy task. thus my wish to focus on one to improve.
I did have a bass solo in town band in "you're a mean one mr. grinch" and have noticed in my little history with the eefer that it seems to be a doubling of the picc part...or an octave higher than the first clars.
i think the bass may have won my heart. so i just have to work on getting that upper register out!
-Lindsie
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Author: graham
Date: 2005-03-24 12:01
I would say on balance that playing an e flat is closer to a b flat in feel than a bass is to a b flat. However, if you struggle with an e flat, everyone quickly becomes aware. It is easier to hide on a bass, with the exception of orchestral solos.
Many people struggle with getting enough volume out of a bass. Many people struggle with playing an e flat quietly enough. If you have a tendency to being good at loud or quiet, then think about the bass in the former case, and e flat in the latter case. If you have limited lung capacity the bass is not for you (they eat air for breakfast), while a long phrase on an e flat is very easy becuase they hardly use any air at all.
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2005-03-24 14:23
I don't mean to be a contrarian, but contrary to one thing graham said, I don't think my bass takes much air at all unless I'm playing fortissimo. (The goal isn't to fill up the instrument--it's already full--or move a bunch of air through it, but to make the reed vibrate.) I can play a sustained note on it longer than most of those playing other instruments. Of course, the amount of air needed to make the reed vibrate may vary with your choice of mouthpiece and reed hardness.
Bass clarinets do have a reputation for playing too softly. We're usually not going to get the volume of a trombone (or we just may be shy), but on a piece we're currently rehearsing in one of my groups, I think I surprised a few people at how loudly I can play (while still controlled). The particular piece has me hitting a note marcato and fortissimo and swelling to fff.
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