The Clarinet BBoard

Bis This

Author: ThatPerfectReed  Date:   2014-02-03 19:19 Background - (You Can Skip This if you know Clarinets) As one would expect, plenty of discussion exists on the bboard on the notion of a Bis key. For those requiring clarity, it’s a key similar to the following purchasable attachment: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=686&q=bis+this&oq=bis+this&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l9.1680.5313.0.5467.18.11.0.0.0.0.459.2205.0j7j1j1j1.10.0....0...1ac.1.32.img..13.5.936.qxMt5ltNiSM#hl=en&q=bis+key&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=bt4lViTuLOhCjM%253A%3BcInYgTayHkqB8M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fshop.weinermusic.com%252Fimages%252Fxbkl1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fshop.weinermusic.com%252FBis-Key-for-Bb-Clarinet%252Fproducts%252F1250%252F%3B384%3B352 that like its saxophone counterpart, facilitates the playing of and , particularly when trilling to these notes from and respectfully. Now—hardly is this Bis key a perfect solution. The version of the Bis key’s and often leaves something to be desired as it regards intonation. But it beats trilling to a version of and that’s created from pressing the lowest key on the upper joint, otherwise actuated by the right pointer finger’s lowest segment. Getting the timing right on this trill, as finger key work requires precision alignment between the right hand’s 1st digit, and the left hand’s 4th and 5th digits, and controlling the movement of the clarinet that results, all often necessitate the trill being slower than most others on the instrument. At least we never stay on the and for long with the Bis key option’s off pitch note. And yes, there’s the double pointer finger down version of and , but this is IMHO only slightly better than the aforementioned trill, as we need to move up and down in unison, left digits “3, 4, and 5” (thumb being #1). Proposal Imagine a clarinet where the left hand’s 4th digit closes a hole with keywork, as is currently not the case on Boehm clarinets. Further, imagine yet a 2nd new key is introduced to the upper joint that resides above, and out of the way of the 4 keys played with the right hand. Pressing this key will turn a normally fingered and into a and respecfully, and a normally fingered and into and respectively. Now, trilling from / to / respecfully, and back is as easy as lifting up and down the 4th digit on the left hand. Because this 4th left hand digit now has a key under it, it can make the note normally played when this finger is down as a sharp (provided the new key with the right hand is actuated.) Once the 4th digit is released, the note above it is sharpened as well. This can all now happen because the clarinet is "cognizant" if you will, that the left hand's 4th digit is down or not, given the keywork now there. And the new key that actuates this also serves as a stabilizing mechanism for the upper joint when effecting the very trill that often destabilizes it.\ Critique I am the first to find fault with this idea. My non-exhaustive list includes the relatively rairity to trill in such a manner, the complexity of the keywork, the cost, and the need to balance the holes that would open when my new “sharp key” is pressed, not unlike the blance of the keys that control / and / . Still more, the distance this new key is pressed down by the 4th digit of the left hand may not be enough to connect it to gears that open holes to make notes sharp (although I think it would). But what do you think? Fire your best polite criticisms. Tell me that for the money you’d rather see something else (name it please) done with clarinet keywork. Tell me “I’m killing a fly with a baseball bat.” Tell me someone's done this already. Cheers

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