 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-07-23 15:00
Well finally my new Buffet Crampon basset horn has arrived -- and many thanks to all of you who gave me advice on the subject some time back. Having heard the likes of Arnold the Basset Hornist perform, I was slightly disappointed at my initial attempts to produce a sound. Frankly, it sounded more like an alto sax than a clarinet. I wasn't too happy with the mouthpiece with which it was delivered, a Vandoren B40, which to my taste was a little unfocused, but I seem to be getting much better results with a 5RV. I figure that the horn needs a much more relaxed embouchure than my b-flat clarinet. Anyone have a similar experience?
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-07-23 21:56
Haven't played a basset horn but for the lower pitched horns in general I would say that a more relaxed embouchure is in order.
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Author: Arnold the basset hornist
Date: 2001-07-24 06:05
Never mind, beejay,
my first trials at my basset horn did sound like a sax, too. Next, watching my tuner, at the lowest tones it displayed the fifth (resp. the twelfth) and not the base tone.
It can take two month until an amateur gets familiar enough with such a horn, and then you may look for different reeds (primary those with a longer cut, Vandoren V12 are recommended sometimes)
Enjoy it,
Arnold (the basset hornist)
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Author: graham
Date: 2001-07-24 08:03
You got the same instrument as me also with the B40. Yes I think the mouthpiece sounds a bit smoochy for a basset horn so i recently got a closer lay mouthpiece from Ed Pillinger (London) who kindly changed the rails to help suit alto sax reeds (you get more choice than with alto clarinet reeds). The tip opening is 1.3 mm and I seem to be getting the right sort of sound from strength 4 Vandoren alto sax reeds. A much more focused sound with plenty of patina and fibre. Its worth experimenting with the mouthpiece set up.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-07-24 08:49
Graham,
That sounds like good advice. Do you have an address for Ed Pillinger? As I said, with an 5RV, which is what I also use on my bflat instrument, the horn is starting to sound more like a clarinet than a sax, although I am not there yet. Arnold the basset hornist suggested using V12 reeds, but they don't seem to make them for alto clarinets. Therefore your idea of converting to alto sax reeds is a very good one. Many thanks.
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Author: graham
Date: 2001-07-24 11:19
Beejay
Yes, Ed Pillinger's website address is:
http://www.pillingermouthpieces.co.uk
hope you get through to it, and hope you find a mouthpiece that suits you.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-07-24 14:04
Congrats ! B J, Thanks [and to others also] for the info, let us know your progress. As of now, I try to make my Selmer-Paris alto cl sound like a B H, with some success, also it's lowest note is just a half-tone above the B H's C! Do you or others have specs on bore dimensions of the Buffets? Since mine is one of the smaller bore altos, I'd like to compare. TKS, Don
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Author: graham
Date: 2001-07-24 15:04
Don
My Buffet was measured at 17.3 mm, but that is not "official" data.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-07-24 16:37
In John Newhill's booklet, "The Basset Horn and its Music'' (1983, amended and reprinted 1997 and 1999), both the Buffet Crampon and Leblanc horns are described as relatively wide bore instruments -- essentially alto clarinets pitched in F. How they sound obviously depends much on the musician. I heard Romain Guyot recently playing a Buffet Crampon basset horn in La Clemenza di Tito at the Paris opera recently, and it was as authentic a basset tone as I've ever come across. On the other hand, in listening to a relatively inexperienced player performing on a Leblanc basset horn, I could hardly detect that it was not an alto clarinet. Newhill praises the wider bore instruments for their superior intonation.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-07-25 15:40
We appreciate the Newhill info, B J, where might this be available, anyone, please?? I made reference to this thread under the acoustics [overblown 12ths] thread above re: my alto's bore measurements which follow. Old Pedler alto Neck, bottom, 17.78 mm, Selmer [B0244] Neck bottom,16.89mm, UJ [and LJ !!] bottom 16.51mm, B45 and Olympia [my favorite] mp tenons 17.22mm . Comments? Don
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-07-25 20:15
To try to make a complete look at what a modern day Basset Horn is, and to make comparisons to available Eb Alto cls, the latest info I can find is in the WW/BW Woodwind catalog,S-S 2001, where Selmer's Model 25 BH is shown at .621" bore [conversion to metric is X 25.4] = 15.77 mm. Other makes appear to be even larger. Sel's [1425] alto cl is shown at .668" [mine is .650 body and .665 neck], closer! If the tonal character is greatly dictated by bore dimension??, I'm still away by .030, maybe some mp experimentation might help?? Comments, PLEASE. DON
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Author: joevacc
Date: 2001-07-26 01:28
Your ideas made me stick my very well liked Bb Bay/Kasper copy mouthpiece into my alto! The first couple of notes sounded beautiful! The intonation (as most of you have guessed already) was way off the board.
I too am wondering about alto mouthpieces. I have two that I don't care for very much- one is a Geo Bundy the other is a Selmer C*. I am sure (and I have read numerous posts here on sneezy saying) that having these mouthpieces refaced by Everett Matsen or or the like would make all the difference. They both work well but don't sing like a good mouthpiece can.
I am very interested in finding out if a Bb "blank" can be made into a fine alto mouthpiece??? Would any of our guru's like to take a crack at the question?
Riveting discussion!!!
My Best,
-=[Joe Vacc]=-
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