 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2026-01-03 03:54
How does the "throat Bb " (Bb4) ![[Bb4]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/bb4.gif) sound on your instrument when you play the full fingered E-flat, (available on your model)....
with the register key, bringing the note up a twelfth to ?
...just curious. I'm wondering if this was in part Buffet's solution to a better sounding throat Bb.
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Author: paulyb
Date: 2026-01-03 15:46
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=497115&t=495266
There was a single mention of this on this board when the BC21 first came out (see the post linked above). I also seem to remember Paul Meyer saying on YouTube that the long Bb worked well for the Debussy rhapsody but that's to be taken with a pinch of salt since he was part of the design / testing team and is associated with Buffet. I'll post a link if I find it again.
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Author: paulyb
Date: 2026-01-03 16:04
This video has a demonstration at about 3:30 (from Dawkes music):
https://youtu.be/UasvtVaAouU
It's pretty hard to tell from short snippets like this how well it would work in a more musical passage but at least it is moderately in tune. Any feedback from owners would be helpful (though given the price, I suspect there aren't many!)
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Author: donald
Date: 2026-01-03 16:06
I've play tested BC21 a few times- and for the most significant thing was that the Bnatural (middle line) was greatly improved as it emitted from a tone hole rather than the bell.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-01-03 17:42
The longer lower joints were also optional on Buffet Elites (as well as an automatic low E/F correction mechanism) and that had E/B issue from an open vent rather than directly from the bell to equalise the tone quality.
Orsi Verdi clarinets also had this feature.
As do ALL full Boehms as they're all built to low Eb by definition (they're not full Boehms if they're built to low E), plus some regular keywork Selmers built to low Eb.
If you have a low Eb key, you ideally need a LH Ab/Eb lever in order to do a low Eb-Ab slur if you're playing an A clarinet's low E-A slur.
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: paulyb
Date: 2026-01-03 20:17
The "Eb lever" on the Tosca page refers to the alternate LH pinkie key for lower register Ab / upper register Eb. What looks like a low Eb key for the RH pinkie is actually the low F correction key.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2026-01-03 21:48
ebonite, paulyb, donald:
Thanks. I see now what you are talking about.
My thread should have been labeled "BC (not Tosca) owners, Just a Curiosity Question" 
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2026-01-03 21:54
I guess my question becomes, "what reasons, other than a full fingered throat B-flat with the register key added, did Buffet decide to place this low full fingered E-flat key on their BC instrument?"
.... transposing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto for "A" clarinet on to a "B-flat" and hitting the piece's lowest written note?
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2026-01-03 23:57
Play bass clarinet parts an octive higher? 😁
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Ridenour Homage mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum Silver ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren Traditional #5 reeds
ATG System and Cordier Reed Trimmer
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Author: paulyb
Date: 2026-01-04 01:00
There are bits and bobs of repertoire which have written low Eb (e.g. the Busoni Concertino last movement and some orchestral pieces I've played - I've even seen low Eb written for A clarinet at least once). Plus it gives you the opportunity to use the Bb for longer to avoid quick changes to the A clarinet - this would have been useful in a few orchestral pieces I've played. And as other people have mentioned in other threads, it does help B in the middle of the stave stick out a bit less because the acoustics are more similar to the notes above it.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2026-01-04 10:58
>> what reasons, other than a full fingered throat B-flat with the register key added, did Buffet decide to place this low full fingered E-flat key on their BC instrument? <<
To have one more lower note. This is probably beneficial mostly to those who have new music written for them or to improvisers vs. those those who only play only more traditional written music.
To be able to play some transposed A clarinet parts. Sometimes a whole piece as mentioned above, but possibly a short line to prevent quickly switching back and forth, or when a short part was written for an A clarinet just because of that but makes more sense to play on a Bb clarinet.
Just a few random reasons.
>> If you have a low Eb key, you ideally need a LH Ab/Eb lever in order to do a low Eb-Ab slur if you're playing an A clarinet's low E-A slur. <<
Ideally yes. In reality I'd guesstimate maybe a few times of the total transitions to/from low Eb would be from/to Ab, so even without the left Ab/Eb lever you are covered in nearly all cases. New clarinets pretty much always have the left Ab/Eb lever and most of the old clarinet with low Eb have it too, at least the ones I've seen which were mostly Selmer and Buffet.
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Author: donald
Date: 2026-01-04 14:55
The Berio Sequenza has a multiphonic that you need the low Eb key for, but I can't recall if there are any low Eb's (written) in the score. And as noted, a few orchestral parts erroneously include this note... it could also come in useful now and again- for example the instrument swap in Bartok Contrasts is unnecessary if you have the low Eb on your Bb clarinet.
dn
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Author: donald
Date: 2026-01-06 14:17
Out of interest i spent 5min on a BC21 today specifically to test the middle line Bb as an upper register note.
If I owned one of them I very much doubt I EVER use that note... you CAN voice it in tune but it tends toward sharpness and sounds awful as a bell tone. Ugh.
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The Clarinet Pages
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![[D#5]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/eb5.gif)
with the left hand. It isn't a low Eb key