 The Fingering Forum
|
Author: Björn
Date: 2005-04-20 16:35
Is there someone who plays the contrabass clarinet or has ever played it? If so, which one was it? The curved or the straight shaped one?
I would like to buy one but I don't know what's the best: curved or straight... I think the straight one looks nicer but the curved one is easier to play. How big are they actually??
can you help me please !!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Musical lottie
Date: 2005-04-20 17:00
I wouldn't know (not yet had the oppotunity to get my mitts on one) but I'd imagine the straight one's not too big. I have seen someone playing it, and as for fingers / playing position etc it looked fairly similar to a bass ... just don't quote me on that!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Joel
Date: 2005-04-20 23:00
One semester I played a straight contrabass by LeBlanc. It's not terribly big. I had to sit on three chairs stacked up, but other than that it was easy to play.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Theboy_2
Date: 2005-04-22 04:38
the contrabass is bigger then the bass, and the keys are farther apart. the straight ones are most seen in symphonies, and curved for concert band. either is ok, since there isn't a whole wide range of parts for them. make sure to check if it's a contrabass or contraalto. i've had trouble tuning a so called contrabass and found out that it was a contraalto. hope this helps.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Musical lottie
Date: 2005-04-22 14:53
Further to Theboy's answer, you may come across them described as Eb or Bb contrabasses, with the Eb actually being a contralto. (And I did realise that the keys would be futhe apart, but they can't be all that much futher, can they?)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: OUmusical
Date: 2005-05-02 04:32
To add on to Joel's reply, I play contrabass and instead of three stacked chairs, you can use a stool that a timpini or a string bass stool.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: old-guy
Date: 2005-05-08 06:11
Many years ago I played the Contra Bass. As I recall, the "Curved" kind is actually called the "paper clip" design. I believe the cost is around $9000.00 for that design.
I liked the both designs the paper clip costs much more.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jon
Date: 2005-05-17 21:49
I played contrbass for a long time. The paper clip design is easier to play and smaller in size. The long contra was not hard to play either. I did have to sit on tow chairs to reach it but not a big problem. The paper clip design is much more expensive than the straight one. I am looking to purchase one and not sure what way I am going to go. Price is going to drive my choice.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Myranda
Date: 2005-06-29 22:07
I play the Contra-Bass clarinet. I think mine would be considered straight. It is about 5 feet long. Myself and the other girl who played it this year needed to sit on phonebooks!:-)The case, with instrument inside, weighed approx. 25-30+ pounds. I loved playing this instrument and will be playing it again this year. i doubt if I am any help, but good luck with whatever you choose.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Myranda
Date: 2005-06-29 22:09
About my post. The instrument, playing-wise(fingering etc) is pretty musch the same as the other clarinets.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: warren
Date: 2005-10-04 02:52
i have a straight one, it goes down to low E-flat (most striaght ones do except selmer, they go to low C) The "paperclip" shaped ones go down to Low C execpt older ones that can go down anywhere from Eb-C. They are the same difficulty to play ( the curved may be slighty harder in some registers because the extra keys and lenght. but not much). I play a leblanc, i love it, i also play contra-alto. It is very easy to tell them apart, contra-alto's neck goes up arund a half foot or less, when the contrabass is around a foot - a foot and half. YOU WILL LOVE THE CONTRABASS CLARINET!!!! mwuahaha
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
