 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: beth
Date: 2001-08-02 05:28
Ok, keep in mind it's 1:15 am here, but I've been thinking on this for awhile now. I've been playig bass for about a month now and really love it except I really, really dislike the support the peg gives me and really, really dislike using a neck strap also. I've resorted to supporting the bass on my bflat case with my bflat music folder on top of that. Works ok, but kindof tacky on stage! (not to say what the potential damage is to my bflat case also)
Is there any sort of contracption (sp) on the market that supports a bass while it's being played? Something that has an adjustible stand - cause different chairs are different heights. Or is this something for my DH's drawing board....
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Author: Forest Aten
Date: 2001-08-02 13:04
Beth,
Your "peg" should do the job. Do you have a more specific complaint about it's use?
If the peg situation can not be corrected, I have seen bass clarinet players use the adjustable foot rest used by guitarist. You might give this a try.
F. Aten
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Author: beth
Date: 2001-08-02 13:13
the "peg" always feels "tippy" to me. I can't seem to find the point where it feels balanced. That's why I've taken to using a flater surface. I'll look into the adj. foot rest mentioned in the above post. Any other suggestions?
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Author: Forest Aten
Date: 2001-08-02 13:21
Beth,
Does your peg have a good rubber foot at the end?
I sometimes use both the peg and the neck strap, for security when playing difficult technical passages, on the bass. You might try this combination approach and see if it "feels" better. A good peg is the best way to support the bass clarinet.
F. Aten
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-08-02 13:33
Beth - I agree with F A's suggestions, I use the "belt and suspenders" security of BOTH neck strap and peg with rubber "foot". Its particularly useful when turning pages and/or getting-out new music as in my community band with "wind problems" and clothes-pin adjusting!!, both hands needed at times. Have the neck strap somewhat loose so the BC cant "go far". Luck, Don
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Author: SusieQ
Date: 2001-08-02 14:32
I will cast the 3rd vote for both neck strap and peg. I used to only use a neck strap and it took me a few years to figure out why I was getting so many headaches. I am a slow learner. I use the Neotech neck strap along with a peg and it works well. Have a great time with the bass.
SusieQ
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Author: beth
Date: 2001-08-02 14:54
ok, I'll give the neckstrap/peg another go. Yes, the peg has a rubber tipped end, but I'll try at the hardware store and see if I can find a rubber end thing that has a wider base, maybe that'll help. I'll give the neckstrap thing another go but it'll have to be with a different strap than what came with the bass. I'll see if I can find my old tenor sax strap until I can get up the road. Maybe this'll help with the ulner tunnel flair-ups I've been getting lately from playing the bass also. Thanks, I knew your "collective" minds would help. :-)
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-08-02 15:13
Find a sporting goods store (Second time around shops, too) and get a practice hockey puck in foam rubber.
Also, string shops sell a cool version like this for the Upright Bass.
Personally, I like the case and telephone book method.
anji
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Author: spencer
Date: 2001-08-02 15:54
i do not play the bass clarinet, however, i have seen bass clarinet playes propping up their horns by putting a piece of wood underneath it. i wonder if this is a good solution?
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-08-02 16:28
Beth -
Go to the Buffet site and look at their new-style bass pegs. They have a black rubber ball about 2 or 3 inches in diameter at the end, which lets it "bite" into the floor at any angle. If your peg has just a rubber tube over the end of the metal rod, you could take off the tube and put on a ball. I'd think a Super Ball would do the trick. It has incredible friction on the floor. You'll have to drill a hole in it, though, since the material is brittle. Start the hole small, about halfway through the diameter of the ball, and enlarge it slowly until you get a good fit. If it starts to fall off, you can glue the rod into the hole.
This may not cure your hand problems, though. You may have to get an instrument stand and set it so you can play without having to support the instrument at all. I met the people from Quodlibet a couple of years ago and was impressed by their ideas and their concern for players who were having trouble with heavy instruments. I don't know if they make stands for bass clarinets, but they make them for tenor and baritone saxophone and could probably adapt one for BC. Their website is at http://www.quodlibet.com/
Good luck.
Ken Shaw
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Author: C. Hogue
Date: 2001-08-02 16:31
When my used bass arrived, it had a tightening nut and a slot for a peg on the bell but no actual peg. I took the bell to the hardware store and bought a piece of stainless steel rod of the right diameter and they cut it to my specs. Also got a flat plastic doo-dad to attach on the bottom of the peg. The doo-dad was a tad larger than the rod, but a little bit of hot-melt glue filled in the space. For less than $5, I had a peg.
I like my flat-bottom, homemade peg better than the fancy one with the big round ball on the end used by my fellow bassist playing her private school's Buffet wooden bass. (Though I'd love to have that bass!) For me, it's more stable.
You could experiment by making your own peg. I like the hockey puck suggestion...
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-08-02 17:52
I also use both a peg and a strap (Ray Hyman supersling bari sax strap). 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. My bass is a Selmer low C (model 37).
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Author: LynnL
Date: 2001-08-02 19:41
I have converted the base tip of the pegs on my Leblanc 430S Bass Clarinet & Leblanc 340 Contrabass, both Low Cs, by inserting the peg into a series of vacumn port closures that you can find in an autoparts store. Start with 1/4", then put a 3/8" over that, and then put a 1/2" tip for a cane over that. Finally, put a 3/4" to 7/8" crutch tip over that. This series of tips, one inside the other, will allow you to rock the instrument to the angle you need to get under the mpc and give you the foot print of about 1 1/2" on the floor. It works great for me!
Lynn
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2001-08-03 00:18
I've seen a few players use small stools to rest their instruments on. It's very similar to the wood block or telephone book method, but it looks better. I have no clue where you'd get one. Maybe others have suggested that and I just didn't understand the description.
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Author: Micaela
Date: 2001-08-03 15:56
Look into the things cellists use to keep their endpins steady. They would probably work for bass clarinets also. There are many different gagets- find a good music store or luthier and try some.
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Author: jr
Date: 2001-08-05 15:48
Last month, I played bass for the first time in 20 years and hated the peg. I raised the peg up and slid the clip of a Bassoon seat strap over it and found that to be effective along with a neckstrap.
jr
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-08-06 14:51
Beth, some pegs are just made of rod that is too thin for its length, so the instrument wobbles around in a disconcerting way. Perhaps you have one of those.
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Author: dan powell
Date: 2001-08-08 00:58
i also vote for the peg and strap .itoo used to use the case+book of just the right thickness but it did look tacky
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Author: Robert
Date: 2001-08-10 18:27
Selmer pegs at the bottom come out to a little cone hand have a rubber end. Also what might be an idea is to get an acoustic guitar foot stool, which I've seen many people use.
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