 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-02-05 16:26
Since I've been playing bass (a little over a year) I've been using the half-hole for everything above C (above the staff). But recently I've noticed that I'm having trouble moving into the third register, particularly hitting C# and D. So today I tried moving up to these notes leaving off the half-hole off (normal clarinet fingering). The C# and D popped right out smooth as silk. But as I continued moving up chromatically the notes would become noticeably sharp at Eb/D# and up. So I put the half-hole down at Eb/D# and hold it for everything above. Are there any rules for using the half-hole? Does it vary from horn to horn? Should I be using it for all third register (altissimo) notes? Or is it okay to add it at D or Eb/D#. The C# sure responds better when it's left off.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-02-05 16:54
Robert -
Bass clarinet altissimo fingerings are much more variable than those on the soprano clarinet. You use what works. On every bass I've played, the lowest altissimo note, C#, works as well or better with the left index finger lifted than it does with the finger down and the vent hole open. The D above is 50/50, and everything above that requires the use of the vent.
Henrik Bok has an extensive fingering chart on his site.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: javier garcia
Date: 2002-02-05 16:56
My experience (I play a Buffet 1180 student model): C# is better with the hole completlely open, although you can play it with half hole. D is better with half hole, although you can play it with hole open. Above D, all notes must be played with half holes (except for fingerings that use the first finger like high B), if you not do this, the notes are very sharp. So, for C# and D it depends on the music to chose half hole or open hole.
Javier
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-02-05 17:35
Thanks guys. What Ken and Javier have described is exactly what I have found. I guess I'll try to get into the habit of playing C# without the half-hole and add the half-hole for D and above. Descending it seems that I can just leave the half-hole on until I re-enter the clarion.
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-02-05 19:06
Robert,
A good exercise is to practice playing in the altissimo without using the half-hole at all, going all the way up to at least the high-G (which I have to do on my contra-alto clarinet as a matter of course since it doesn't have anything like a half-hole available). This exercise, by forcing you to obtain and maintain the high register by breath pressure, embouchure and (most importantly) mouth cavity opening, will help you in normal playing when you use the half-hole (for whichever notes are aided by it).
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-02-05 21:22
Brings me to a question - why would you bother writting in the altissimo for a bass clarinet - it's certainly not the beasts' nicest tonal area!
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-02-05 23:09
The altissimo register of my Selmer 37 (low C) plays and sounds pretty good now that I've found how to bring out the C# a little better. If an instrument has a four octave range I believe in using all four octaves.
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Author: donald nicholls
Date: 2002-02-06 01:46
the same PITCH, played on a Bass Clarinet, an E flat (sop) clarinet or a "normal" soprano clarinet will have a slightly (or wildly, depending on the talent available) different tone. Composers have a perfect right to take advantage of this.
The Bass Clarinet has a 5 octave range- and while formerly this was the case only for virtouso bass players (eg Sparnay, Bok and Horak) many players can now use this range. A colleague of mine now teaches his 14 year olds notes on the Bass that our teacher thought were impossible when we were university students 10 years ago, and while i am personally not a big fan of playing "way high" on the Bass clarinet, he plays the Bass Clarinets Altissimo register with a very nice rounded tone. (my colleague also has the advantage of having studied with Harry Sparnay for a few years).
nzdonald
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Author: javier garcia
Date: 2002-02-06 12:09
high clarion B (one line above the staff) can be played with half hole (instead of closed hole) This is helpful for quick jumps B-High D, D# or E.
Javier
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Author: graham
Date: 2002-02-06 16:05
I am not sure whether David S means to play to G with the hole fully open or fully closed (and just overblown). I have to do the latter on mine above E flat because I don't have the little hole (ancient BC as it is). When the reed is not willing to overblow I apply the D/G key on the right hand third finger, which closes my upper speaker hole and opens the lower speaker hole. This stops the instrument playing in the clarinet register and encourages it to kick up into the altissimo register. Useless information if you have the small hole, but of assistance to some people I hope.
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-02-07 13:43
Actually I'm not sure what I meant, either....depending on the instrument and mouthpiece/reed setup, sometimes the altissimo notes can be obtained (without half-holing) by either keeping the l.h. index finger key completely open, or completely closed --- you just have to experiment a bit.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-02-07 17:18
On my horn everything above altissimo D is very sharp without the half-hole (leaving the first hole open). D and C# are in tune with or without the half-hole but C# has a slightly better response without the half-hole (first hole open).
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