 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2001-08-03 02:55
In a recent post Robert Small said (in part): "I position the bass on my right side like a bari sax. This position allows complete control over the keys as the hands do not have to help support the horn. It's also very comfortable--I can play for hours without tiring.".
I am a new bass player and currently play with the instrument between my legs, using a peg(and a loose sax strap for security). As I wear bifocals I find this position to be a "pain in the neck" as I must constantly adjust to see "through" the neck crook at the music. Robert Small's position seems advantageous.
Please comment, all you Bass Players., is there good news and bad news? What is good, better, best?
Bob A
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Author: Mike Harrelson
Date: 2001-08-03 03:40
I'm a bass player who is also a sax player and do not find it comfortable playing the BC like a sax.
As to the bifocals, bass clarinet is more of a problem than other instruments (for me anyway). I finally had to get "reading glasses"- ones with a higher line... the bifocal line is just above the music stand so I have close vision for music and far vision for the conductor. (note to younger clarinet players: stop laughing, you may be over 50 one day too!) I keep these glasses in my bass case and only use them for playing.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-08-03 04:42
Another advantage of positioning the bass on the right side is it allows me to play standing up without re-adjusting the strap. Playing with the bass between the legs requires me to tighten up on the strap when I stand. Not a big deal but it's nice to have the strap with the same adjustment for sitting and standing. And I like to do a good bit of my practice standing up. I tried playing with the horn between my legs and found it extremely uncomfortable. And the neck interferes with the line of sight to the music stand. Let me also mention again that I play a low C bass. Maybe low Eb basses are more comfortable between the legs.
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2001-08-03 13:46
I play a low-C bass and have always placed it (and its predecessor) between my legs. I use a peg and a neckstrap. I now wear progressive (no line) bifocals.
As far as seeing the music, I have almost no problem. I make the following suggestions, which might help.
First, sit up straight on the front edge of the chair. Angle the instrument so that the bell is under the chair or nearly so. This also helps place the mouthpiece at an angle more similar to that of a soprano clarinet. Using the neckstrap as well as the peg makes this easier to do.
Next, raise the music stand so that the music is nearly straight in front of you and so that the conductor's arms, when conducting, can be seen just above the stand. This also helps in seeing both the music and the conductor simultaneously. I also have my music stand set far enough away from me that I am not using the near/lower portion of my bifocals.
This should minimize the number of times only one eye can see the music.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-08-03 14:03
Robert's and Don's suggestions are very good, similar to my experience and practices. I play my Eb bass nearly vertical between legs with right leg somewhat back so as to not interfere with my right-hand fingering. As I commented on bass-clarinet@yahoogroups.com, I use both peg and a 2 hook neck-strap [belt and suspenders!!]. Also have a pair of "music-reading" glasses, which I frequently use for playing bridge and eating, an intermediate single-lens focus of about 6 feet is OK for both music and conductor for me. Yes, stand and music high so conductor's arm-wavings are visible above. "Doin' what comes nachurlie" Don
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Author: Lawrence
Date: 2001-08-03 16:08
On the glasses, go for single vision, if possible. I have a pair with a focus length of about 3 feet. This lets me see the music fairly clearly, as close as 2 feet, but keeps the conductor slightly fuzzy -- not a bad thing in itself!
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2001-08-03 17:18
Well, as my Brit friends say, "He must be thick as a plank." That's me! I just discovered that my single focus computer glasses (focused at two feet) will fit the bill if I "schooch up" in the chair. Now I don't have to crink up my neck. Your right, the conductor would look fuzzy---but who looks?
Bob A
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-08-03 17:37
One other thought on the use of neckstraps--since some basses have two loops for hooking on the strap (one loop on the upper joint, one on the lower) using two straps would provide even more security. Then if one of the straps broke (and I have had this happen) or one of the loops popped out of the wood, the other strap would prevent the horn from falling. This set-up might be a good idea if one does any playing standing up for extended periods of time. I suppose this set-up would be ananogous to wearing two sets of suspenders.
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2001-08-03 21:22
Again, Bob, my RAF friends would call this "Belt, Braces, and String."
Bob A
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-08-04 05:21
Hey Bob! I agree with Lawrence on the single lens glasses. Now if ya want a challenge, try to see around a contra. I try to read with one eye and watch the conductor with the other. Pretty soon I'm gonna look like the British comedian Marty Feldman.
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2001-08-04 12:41
Willie, Dave S... say's about the same thing and that he sits at about a 30 degree position and looks out of one eye at the music and one at the conductor. Hope it's the same eye. Gee, you countra guys got it rough!.
Bob A
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Author: beth
Date: 2001-08-04 13:24
And here I was thinking that "split vision" thing is because I've been having trouble balancing my bass. I wind up angling the bass to my left and put my music on the right side of my stand and flip pages with the speed of light! It's not only the "over 50" crowd that wears bi-focals, us "over 40" do to...I need a new pair and have been thinking on going with a separate pair this time instead of the double vision lenses. After reading here, it's kind of cemented it...You're right sometimes a fuzzy conductor and a dumb expression will get you through anything!
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-08-04 15:35
Contraltos don't have it that rough, actually. I play bass vertically and tilt the contralto at an angle while sitting down (adjusting the mouthpeice to fit almost parallel to the ground so that my head stays level). This gets the contra out of my line of vision and helps my posture when I sit down. BBb Contrabass would probably be a different story - I have to play that standing up no matter what.
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Author: Robert
Date: 2001-08-10 18:24
I've always played Contra and Bass between my legs, I even play sax that way in fact. I've never been comfortable playing to the side. I don't play Contra or Bass with a neckstrap, I only play with a peg, but then again I'm 18 and don't have the sight problems older might.
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Author: sarah
Date: 2001-08-12 20:22
When I first started playing bass I played to the side, but then found it much easier between my legs with a peg and neck strap. I played the bari for a bit in a jazz band and looking back now see that it might have been better to play that between my legs too because off to one side, my right leg kept hitting one key and kept it closed.
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