 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-12-03 21:15
While you can get a (2nd space down) C with the regular fingering of throat Bb plus the top two trill keys, were any clarinets made with a 3rd trill key to yield a (2nd line down) D in conjunction with the throat Bb fingering which opens another tonehole on the top joint located somewhere in the vicinity of the speaker tube?
I'm sure with some rejigging of the regular side and trill keys, an extra key can be accommodated if all others were shunted across and didn't have the bend in most of them for the pad cups. Although it could be a bit of a stretch for RH1 if the touchpiece is located above the top trill key.
If it can't be fitted there, maybe it could be an extra 'sliver key' style touchpiece for LH2 (running over the top of the E/B vent pad cup). Or an extra touch for RH1 that sits over the top of the RH ring key (C/G) vent pad cup like the throat A trill key seen on some Couesnons (or the C-Db/G-Ab trill touchpiece seen on some clarinets, taking inspiration from German and Oehler systems).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2025-12-03 21:30
I am intrigued! Someone should try this. I do sometimes use a fingering on bass clarinet-- fingering a low Eb with the register key in order to do a tremolo between Bb and D. Maybe the solution isn't to include another trill key, but to reintroduce the practice of including low Eb's on Bb clarinets as well.
Reese Oller
Clarinet student (performance major at Millikin University)
I can play bass clarinet, Eb clarinet, BBb contra, alto saxophone, bassoon at a decent level, and flute in a pinch.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-12-03 21:36
I trill the low Eb key to do this exact same tremolo on my full Boehms which is the envy of other regular clarinet players whenever a Bb-D tremolo crops up.
Some Buffet Elites were built with the extra long lower joint with a tonehole for low E/upper B to issue directly from to equalise the tone quality instead of having those notes issue directly from the bell. Orsi Verdi model clarinets also had the longer lower joints with a plain tonehole, so closing that tonehole would give a low Eb/upper Bb, so there's no reason why a low Eb key can't be fitted to them.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Reply To Message
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