 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2012-08-23 03:58
My Bundy bass clarinet is getting some new pads, so I've been borrowing a Buffet RC Prestige bass clarinet this past month for octet rehearsals (we have one real bassoonist and me covering the other bassoon parts on bass). I didn't know Buffet Prestige basses were RC, but that's what the silver-colored circle plate had written on it. It's a very nice instrument and I would like to have one myself someday (maybe or maybe not a Buffet, but something with the extended range on it). It has 5 pinky keys in the right hand, so I think it's an older model, since I believe the newer ones have 6. On one of the pieces, I'm playing Bassoon II and the extended range comes in handy. I also like how the upper register sings (hooray for the double register mechanism). I've also never used my right thumb to play notes, and that was interesting. The bass I used had 2 RH thumb keys (for Db and C). It's also the first bass I ever played on where I felt the thumb rest was too high (perhaps to accommodate the thumb keys?). On my Bundy, my thumb sits on top of the thumb rest more often than not.
Not long after we finished playing, my left forearm was sore and I realized it was from reaching for the low D that's only located on the left side. On the newer Buffet Prestige low C basses, is that 6th right hand pinky key another fingering for the low D? I have short pinkies and had a real hard time reaching that key (and had to really twist my wrist to get to it). I know that if I ever get the opportunity to buy a low C bass, I'll definitely want to try it out to check for that.
There really is a question here. Do most/all extended range bass clarinets (and lower clarinets) have the issue where reaching for the pinky keys causes all sorts of hand contortion and resulting soreness? Is there a particular brand where I might have an easier time reaching the pinky keys (without having to modify the instrument)? If I ever get the chance to own an extended range bass, I want to make sure I can get something that's not going to be painful to play. As it is, I needed to either add a cushion to the chair or tip the bass backward so I could reach the mouthpiece (dang shortness affliction). Ironic, because earlier in the year I played a performance where I had a tough time playing my Bundy bass because the chair was a little tall and I had to slouch to play my bass (the peg attaches to the body instead of the bell and the attachment is kinda high up on the body).
Ah, if I only had thousands of dollars to drop on a professional bass clarinet, it would be mine...
EDIT: I started playing bass clarinet in the spring of 2003 (5th year in college), but this month has been my first opportunity to play one with the extended range on it.
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Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
Post Edited (2012-08-23 04:00)
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2012-08-23 04:22
The newer Buffet bass clarinets have THREE keys for the low D...the sixth one for the right pinky, the left hand pinky, and a thumb key, which sits directly beneath the thumbrest.
Also, just like the soprano clarinets, the basses come in RC and R13 bore configurations.
If you are a small person with small hands, unfortunately, I don't know of any way short of buying your own low-C bass and then having some custom keywork modifications done, that it will ever be comfortable to play. The spring tension on the left pinky low D is usually quite strong, and can be tiring.
Of course, like with anything else requiring repeated use of specific muscle groups, the more you do it, the less it'll hurt. You're not used to it right now, so it hurts, but the longer you do it, I think you'll find that the discomfort will lessen.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-08-23 06:46
>> Also, just like the soprano clarinets, the basses come in RC and R13 bore configurations. <<
Still? I've seen some older RC basses but not anymore, not on their website or in exhibitions (which I guess doesn't meant they don't make them).
>> The spring tension on the left pinky low D is usually quite strong, and can be tiring. <<
Yes, but it's worse on some of the older models. The current model and is much better. One of the older models has a really lousy design.
>> Of course, like with anything else requiring repeated use of specific muscle groups, the more you do it, the less it'll hurt. <<
This really depends on why it hurts and the type of pain.
If you just start running then maybe you rub five minutes and the next day yoru legs hurt. You run every couple of days and after a while your legs don't hurt if you run the same distance/time. When the equivalent happens on a clarinet, it is the same and like you described.
Some pain doesn'ty feel like this at all. Just a few days ago I had pain in a finger for the first time from playing (aside from the right thumb hurting from playing a very long time because of the weight).
It was from the right pinky low D key on a bass clarinet. I've used this key a million times before and it never hurt. I've played music where I used this key very often and never had pain. But for this sort of rock song, about half the song was low D and I (mistakenly) used just this key because it feels the most comfortable.
I've played a piece once where more thna page was jumps to and from low D but then used all the keys and no pain. This time I had to hold my finger on the key for about 20-30 seconds a few times during the song and we played it many times in a rehearsal followed by a recording.
My pinky hurt pretty bad for a few days and then started getting better. It was more than a week ago but it still hurts a little. I checked my hand in the low D position and could see why it hurt from holding this position for a long time and why it never hurt before eventhough I've used this key so many times.
It didn't feel at all like the pain that improves from working on the muscles (which I know from doing a lot of sports). But now I think I know how to avoid it in the future.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-08-23 09:24
I found the front (RH pinky) low D very useful coupled with how well the keys were balanced which was the reason for me to get a Prestige bass back in 2000 (even though I'm not a fan of Buffet Bb/A sopranos).
The Selmers front low D touch is so short so it feels like it weighs a ton due to the leverage and pressue needed to use it - even with the spring tensions backed off. I do prefer the Selmer sound although I am sticking with my Buffet.
I don't find the RH thumb low D touch is in the best place (to the left of the thumb hook) but both LH and RH pinky low D keys are invaluable (or "Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad").
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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