 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: thatclarinetgirl
Date: 2016-03-20 01:08
Hi, I play the Bb and Eb clarinets in my high school wind ensemble.
My band director is making me play the contrabass clarinet for a concert in 2 weeks and I have no experience on bass clarinets at all. There are multiple solos in the song and I really need help.
Any tips for playing the contrabass would be really appreciated!
Any recommendations of a good chair/stool to use?
Tips on how not to squeak and how to play louder?
How do I tune? Can I tune on the contrabass?
Post Edited (2016-03-20 01:39)
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Author: LCL
Date: 2016-03-20 18:09
First let me say there are many on this board with more talent and professional experience, but I will attempt to help. You could benefit with a lesson or two from a teacher who is experienced on both instruments. From your question about a stool, it would appear that you are going to be playing a one-piece contra. I had one several years ago and used a bar-height chair with a back. Now I use a Leblanc paperclip contra, where one can sit on a normal chair. I use a #2 or 2 1/2 reed. It may be wise to take your mouthpiece to the music store to be sure you get the correct width to fit. You should be prepared to take more mouthpiece into your mouth. But I think primarily, you also need to be sure the instrument is leak tight, so ask to have it checked. If you are squeaking now, leaks could be the cause. I played soprano from 1956 until 1959 when I switched to bass clarinet and then onto contra in 1963. After being away from music until 1983, I resumed playing both as I do today. Except for the basset horn, I own and play the Ab sopranino down to the contrabass.
Good luck and ask any other questions you have.
LCL
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Author: thatclarinetgirl
Date: 2016-03-21 03:46
Thank you so much! I have just a few more questions...
1. If I get an easier reed (I'm playing on #2.5 now), will it get easier to play the contrabass loudly? I am feeling faint after playing it because it requires so much air, so would it be better to get #2 reeds?
2. Is playing the contrabass for 3 weeks going to permanently mess up my Bb and Eb clarinet embouchure?
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2016-03-21 03:59
Hi Nicole,
I believe you have answered your own question for #1. It would seem that a 2 1/2 is too stiff.
For #2, I double all the time in the pit for shows and have to often change quickly from bari sax (about the same size reed as the contra) or tenor sax to clarinet. No problem but while you are playing contra do not forget to practice your "doubles." Keep your "chops" in shape.
Talk to some of the bass clarinets in your band; they can give you some guidance about embouchure, reeds, and breath control.
You have an opportunity here to become a more versatile player. Evidently, your director sees potential in you as a band member. Make this a learning experience.
HRL
Post Edited (2016-03-21 04:46)
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Author: BflatNH
Date: 2016-03-21 16:24
I am in a similar situation playing a borrowed HS long contra for a concert, having played Bb and Bass previously. The contra bass is has a mouthpiece opening 4X that of Bb so I am lucky to be able to play 3 measures of a low note at FF, so plan your breathing. My experience (and talking with someone else from this Bboard) is that the altissimo is useless, and the clarion register was difficult (where I have to drop my jaw significantly to loosen up my embochure), especially jumping to lower clarion from the lower register throat tones, so you may have to play fewer notes (e.g. every other one) if you have a quick run over the break. Also, as the contra I am playing had not been played in years, the biggest problem was sticking register mechanism (where it changes from one register opening to another) and where the rods on the longest low notes bind between the supporting posts (if you bring the contra into a warmer room, the rods expand more quickly than the barrel, binding where they pivot until the barrel gets warmer and longer). Be aware of other mechanical problems. Also experiment how high you place the reed in the mouthpiece, as for me, it is higher than the Bb but not as high as the Bass. The borrowed contra I play plays better after 30 min of playing.
For me, playing the contra is a duty, not fun; maybe a paperclip contra would be better. The case is 69 inches long and I have to put wheels on it. It will not permanently affect your Bb embochure, but it may be difficult to immediately switch to Bb if you play contra on one piece and Bb on another.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-03-21 17:00
I played contra in the West Point Band for about a year and a half. It's my natural instrument and plays almost without effort.
Contras work best with the softest reed that doesn't make a pitchless "flapping" sound on the lowest notes. They're built to play best in the low register, since anything higher goes to the bass clarinet. On my Selmer Eb, I use Vandoren bass sax reeds, and on the Leblanc paperclip BBb I use Vandoren contra reeds. I buy the strongest available strength and then sand the bottoms flat and work the vamp down until it plays right. When your setup is right, the instruments take surprisingly little air.
If you can afford it (and remember that you buy one only once), get Walter Grabner's mouthpieces, which are in a class by themselves.
Listen to orchestral double bass players. They don't play very loud. Just establishing the bottom line provides the foundation for the rest of the band.
You practically have to play double lip on contra. If you put your teeth on the top of the mouthpiece, the vibration scrambles your brains.
Tuning is just like on the soprano -- you move the tuning slide on the neck in or out, and you use your ears.
Playing contra and soprano requires that you keep both in practice. When I switch from soprano to contra, I concentrate on relaxing my embouchure and taking a good breath. Switching back to soprano can be difficult because your embouchure is narrower and tighter. The only cure is plenty of practice on both.
A straight BBb contra requires that you stand. An alternative is a double bass stool.
Welcome to the wonderful world of contra.
Ken Shaw
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Author: thatclarinetgirl
Date: 2016-03-31 18:16
Hank,
First of all, thank you so much for the advice. I feel that I've improved drastically this past week, and all the advice really pointed me in the right direction.
I ended up changing my reeds to #2 which helped me a lot. And because I was squeaking so much, I did actually end up taking the instrument into the shop, where a few leaks were fixed. So the instrument is playing much nicer now. The only struggle I still have is the reed's placement on the mouthpiece. I find that I just have to experiment by moving the reed up and down along the mouthpiece until the instrument's tone and volume sounds right.
As for the stool, the assistant band director at my school was able to bring in a double bass stool for me to use. I definitely prefer to sit rather than stand, for I find that it allows me to play with more air.
My concert is coming up in a few days, and overall I feel quite prepared. I've come to really enjoy playing the contrabass, and am going to be rather sad when I have to give it back to the school. My band director is quite pleased with my playing on the contrabass. I'm very thankful to have been given the opportunity to play contrabass, considering I've only ever played Eb, Bb, and A clarinets before this.
Once again, thank you so very much for all your help.
Nicole
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2016-03-31 20:11
Nicole,
That's great news and it really sounds like you "made this a learning experience." The bonus is you have shown your directors that you are a "can-do" person.
Yes, on dealing with the reed positioning issue. You can use those lessons/skills on all your instruments.
If I did anything for you it was give you a little bit of "inspiration" but you have carried your end very well with a lot of "perspiration." Way to go!
Good luck at the concert.
HRL
Post Edited (2016-04-01 04:40)
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Author: BflatNH
Date: 2016-04-18 17:52
Since my last post above, I've put on about 50 hours on the contrabass (described above, and I've named BuBBbles) and want to comment for the record on my experiences.
If you plan on buying a car and consider playing contrabass, take measurements to be sure you can conveniently load it (if you can handle the weight, and carrying a grandfather clock around), or get the paperclip (or separable) contra. About 70% of my effort was directed to tweaking/hauling/finding a stool/etc. Having to travel to venues, it needed time to adjust to be playable. The worst part of it comes from the different embouchure and playing technique I had to use to play this particular contra (and it was similar with a high-end contra-alto), although others may be better at adapting, I found playing contra has a detrimental effect on my Bb playing. And I seriously missed playing parts written with or for any artistic expression, and a horn with the capacity to deliver that.
Post Edited (2016-04-18 18:02)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-04-18 18:06
Three more things about contra reeds.
First, it's absolutely essential that the reed be no wider than the mouthpiece rails, and preferably a little bit narrower. If it overlaps the outside of the rails even a tiny bit, your lower lip binds it against the rails and kills the vibration.
Second, the lay is curved and thus longer than a straight line. If you put the reed and mouthpiece tip exactly even, the reed will leak at the tip, particularly at the corners. Move the tip up perhaps 1/32".
Third, contra reeds almost always warp down the bottom center, making a tight seal impossible. This is because the bark on top doesn't expand, forcing the material underneath to bulge. I begin with #5 reeds and soak and sand several times until the area beneath the bark is stable. This brings the strength down to where I like it, which is about #2. You must also check reeds for an impression in the cane of the window, which makes a tight seal impossible and needs to be sanded flat.
Ken Shaw
Post Edited (2016-04-18 21:21)
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