 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Liam Murphy
Date: 2008-02-02 01:42
Clarinet BBoard,
My Selmer Signature came with an auxiliary Eb lever. The 'Brochure" that came with the instrument said that this key was "easily removable". I have been playing this clarinet for a over three months, and have decided to ditch the Eb key.
By "easily removable" does this mean that I can remove it on my own? I have quite a few jeweler's screwdrivers, can some one give me instructions for how to perform this operation?
While we're at is, is this key a necessity? or a very infrequently used gimmick? I notice that many famous clarinetists do not use this key, for examply Martin Frost with his Tosca.
Thanks for anyone's help,
-Liam
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-02-02 02:11
I DON'T use mine the nylon pin on my L.H. Eb key on my Buffet Festival has broken 3 times since I bought it in March 2005 and I'm used to always just without conscious play like I don't have that alternative key so when the nylon pin broke last Saturday I just took it off and will never use it again.
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2008-02-02 02:25
i had a selmer signature and couldnt reach that key. i never removed it. just didnt use it. had the clarinet for several years but had so many tuning problems with it i was frustrated and got a ridenour lyrique.
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Author: grifffinity
Date: 2008-02-02 02:30
I had a Buffet A Festival with an aux. Eb. Couldn't reach the damn thing, my pinky was too short.
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Author: larryb
Date: 2008-02-02 02:34
I don't use mine (Signature Bb). I'm too old to learn it, and I already know how to slide and switch.
I had it taken off because it caused play in the mechanism. It's probably easy to do by yourself, but you have to put the little replacement piece in - make sure you still have it.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2008-02-02 02:35
I like having it for those few times when there'd be a slide needed if you didn't. Although it's not necessary. I say try it out for about a month. If you still don't use it or it still gets in your way (mine was never a problem getting in the way) then get rid of it. But I say give it a shot.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: James
Date: 2008-02-02 02:54
I have a Buffet Prestige R-13 with a LH Eb key. It's not the easiest thing to hit so I really only use it when I need to, but I could definitely live without it. I'm working on the Debussy Premiere Rhapsodie and there are a few spots in it where I need to use it, so it's nice to have. All in all I'd say try it and if you like it, use it; if not, then don't use it. If you do use it though it's not a bad idea to learn the sliding technique anyway, just in case.
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Author: Molloy
Date: 2008-02-02 04:42
I play full-boehm; when you have low Eb the LH Ab/Eb key is necessary. Otherwise, though, when I play a standard low-E clarinet, I don't miss the LH Ab/Eb key (although I *do* miss the low Eb).
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-02-02 05:02
I don't have the key so don't use it. For years I used to play a clarinet thta had the key and I never used it.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-02-02 12:58
"L.H Eb key. Do you use one?"
Yes.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-02-02 13:50
YES, partic. , of course when facing cross fingering for G#/D# [Ab/Eb] . For me it diminishes my little fingers confusion/decisions. I once had 4 cls with it, 3, 20/7 Full Boehms and a 19/7. I have it on my Selmer [Eb] bass cl, and even tho its a long reach, I happily use it. I'd like to add it to my C T, or get a 20/7 C T !! AM thots/opinions, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: William
Date: 2008-02-02 14:09
Yes--my Prestige bass clarinet has one and I use it more than I ever thought I would. Wish all my clarinets had one.........
And when will clarinet manufactures start adding a bis key ala the saxophone? Charles Bay adds them to his customized basses and Runyon has an attachable one that works quite well on sopranos when you get it set right. The only problem is that the Bb/Eb is usually quite sharp, but in situations where you would use it, the note goes bye so fast it isn't that noticable. "Bacum Bis", anyone???
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-02-02 15:14
Some old (pre-WWII) B&H 1010s have a Bis key
A forked Bb mechanism is always a welcome addition (xox|ooo).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2008-02-02 22:55)
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2008-02-02 16:38
I played for many years on a 3/4 Boehm and used the LH Eb key "as much as" the RH Eb key.
Then, at a critical audition (Waltz of the Flowers on a Bb! full of pinky challenges), It was in the shop. In the short time to prepare, it was not possible for me to break the habit of reaching for that LH Eb key. I lost the audtion.
Partly as a result of that bad experience, I now have another Buffet w/o the extra keys. Most of my music is pencil marked to set me up for getting to that single Eb fingering: sequencing pinky choices, sliding someplace to free the right pinky, ...
I think it is stupid to have only a single fingering for Eb/Ab.
After 2-1/2 years without my extra keys, I can live with having only the RG Eb, but my reliance on the articulated G# and the forked Bb fingering are still lingering.
I think it should be there, but until (and if) I can have back up horns with LH Eb option, I'll keep a pencil handy for planning my Ebs and forget about sight reading in Eb-minor.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-02-02 16:46
I say leave it on. I've played R13 forever but bought a Selmer Signature a few years ago. After doing some tuning on it I love it and it has the LH Ab-Eb key. I still use my R13 A and once in a while do use my R 13 Bb, mostly Pops concerts when I don't need my set. Anyway, you find that you can go years not using that key and suddenly get a passage that is near impossible to play without it. I could come in handy someday. I've only needed to use it one in two years but was grateful to have it, so why bother taking it off?
Edward Palanker, Peabody.jhu.edu/457
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Author: J. J.
Date: 2008-02-02 18:31
It's worth mentioning that the key is far more useful on bass clarinet where the switches and sliding are not nearly as easy on Bb. I'm an advocate of the key, but I don't think the fact that it's useful on bass should be used to justify it.
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-02-02 19:05
And on Bass if you don't have it, you can (in Schoenberg's Chamber Symphony) do what Baltimore's Bill Jenken when we played the Scotia Festival and take off your shoe and use your foot to press the low C down so that you can get the Eb afterwards.
Was a cool trick
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Liam Murphy
Date: 2008-02-02 19:25
BBoard,
Clarification:
My hands are pretty big. While I believe this to be a slight advantage, my pinkie will still hit the L.H Eb key accidentally. I wanted to just keep the key and screw in a zip-lock bag and whip it on when I need it. Frankly, it's annoying me.
I had to sight read Waltz of the Flowers (Bb) in my high school orchestra, at the time I was playing with no Aux. Eb key though. Probably would not have helped much anyway. Playing smoothly in E maj. is asking a lot by the arranger...
What is this replacement piece that many people have mentioned? Is it just the screw?
Thanks,
-Liam
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Author: D
Date: 2008-02-02 20:27
mine unscrews easily. i use it a lot when i am having to transpose at sight, can't deal with working out little finger placements at the same time.
dissadvantage is that is can make it harder to find a tight fitting compact case (the sort i like) which doesn't bend the key.
I think in general playing I would manage fine without it, but if I have to sight read an orchestral part or if I am playing transposed then it is very useful. Often have to play in C or off bass clef. eeeck.
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Author: larryb
Date: 2008-02-02 20:42
I wouldn't mind having one on my basset horn for that one note in the Mendelssohn Konzertstuck.
But that would be off-topic, since it would be a L.H. Ab key...
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-02-02 23:20
Well said, D [UK], I was thinking of mentioning the trans's and sight readings with no preparation for cross fingering analysis, the ability to get and use the Ab/Eb should impress your section. My first good cl was a F B Penzel-Mueller so I learned its value very early. Even playing a bit of church music recently, I went to my Selmer F B even tho its not as good as my C T. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-02-03 03:46
Liam- You say that you have big hands that can hit the key in inopportune times?? Just have it cut down some. I know an orchestra player that has big hands and always has the left Eb filed down by his technician. Easy process and you get the best of both worlds- not there when you don't use it, right were you need it when you do.
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Author: pelo_ensortijado
Date: 2008-02-03 21:39
i play alot of "fiddle"music. including klezmer and balkan. and what i want for christmas this year is a LH Eblever!!
some keychanges just are impossible!!! atleast in those speeds!!
the most comfy playingrange for the violin is where the clarinet has its worst. just round the break!!
but if you just play classical music, you probably get by without it.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-02-04 11:32
In my (twisted?) mind the RH Eb/Ab matches the LH C#/G#, 4 keys for each hand. So if you can get a LH Eb/Ab there should be such a thing as a RH C#/G#. Is there such a thing?
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-02-04 12:18
Bassie- Many articulated G# clarinets have them.
German cls and the new Backun Leblancs have a tear drop coming from the key down so you can push it with the LH index finger.
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2008-02-04 12:21
Bassie, the LH Eb/Ab makes FIVE keys for the left hand. (don't forget about the F/C key behind the E/B and F#/C# pinky keys).
The LH Eb/Ab completes the duplication of all of the right-hand pinky keys in the left hand, making certain fingering combinations easier and more fluid.
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Author: DaveF
Date: 2008-02-06 06:30
I use the extra LH key a lot in practicing the scales and arpeggios in Jettl's book, esp. when you get into 4+ flats and sharps. I've however only found rare places in literature for it's use. It's great for trilling clarion D to Eb, as needed at the end of the 1st movement of the Finzi Concerto.
Dave F.
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