 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: alto gether
Date: 2013-11-11 21:54
Covering a bassoon part for Col Bogey on contra alto, there's a passage of fast oompahs pivoting on throat Bb. It's louder and easier to finger if I play that Bb in clarion with the low Eb key, but it's sharp beyond what I can fix with my embouchure. Obviously I could stick something in the bell to flatten that one note, and I don't use low Eb in that piece anyway, but should that note be so sharp?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-11-11 22:54
If you have an in tune low Eb, it will be sharp as a Bb. The amount of bell flare will also affect the tuning of this note in the upper register far more than the lower register.
On Bb/A soprano clarinets, the low E and F are usually on the flat side but their 12ths (B and C) are usually spot on - this is a compromise all clarinet makers have to use as it's better to have a flat low E and F instead of a sharp upper B or C which would be the case if the low E and F were made to be in tune without any extra vent keys or other mechanisms fitted to bring them up to pitch.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-11-12 12:44
What instrument are you playing? It sounds like you may be playing a bass clarinet with one register vent (always a compromise). You might try using a different tone hole as a register vent.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2013-11-12 18:25
The low Eb was never intended as an alternate Bb although on some soprano clarinets it can be sufficiently close to get away with.
The position of the speaker key is always a compromise which affects the low E and F also but the Eb is just too far away from it for it to tune anywhere near correctly.
However as you are covering a bassoon part you can always claim authenticity as the bassoon is regularly out of tune!! (don't tell the double reed board though)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-11-12 19:43
Bassoons are a pretty much make-it-up-as-you-go-along instrument where in-tune fingerings for any given notes go.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: alto gether
Date: 2013-11-13 23:54
Thanks, Chris. I should have figured that out myself.
Steven, I'm playing contra alto. A Bundy with switching register key.
Norman, Chris: Yep. I can do the out of tune part just fine, but when it gets into the altissimo it's kind of strange.
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Author: TAS
Date: 2013-11-15 03:41
Honest answer.
It doesn't make any difference. No one will hear you unless you squawk 
TAS
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