 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: quintquintr
Date: 2016-02-18 12:00
Hello, all!
I was recently asked to play BBb contra for a piece with my university's wind ensemble. We have an older paperclip LeBlanc 340 with a range to low D and two separate register vents. It's in pretty poor shape as is and is virtually unplayable, but thankfully an overhaul was budgeted for it this year, so it'll be handed off to the great people at Flying Squirrel in Raleigh this weekend.
Anyway, my main question was about the register mechanism. I'm not very familiar with the instrument and haven't had the opportunity to play on it because of its condition (also because my Légère won't arrive for another day or so), so I was wondering if anyone could share their experience on how the two register keys work. Which key should I use and for what range of notes do they work best?
Thanks!
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-02-18 16:03
As far as I know, all Leblanc metal contras had an automatic register mechanism, just like a modern bass clarinet.
However, the low-D BBb contra was an early model, so there's a possibility that it has two register keys. If so, you switch between clarion Eb and E.
Ken Shaw
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Author: quintquintr
Date: 2016-02-18 20:10
I'll have to take a couple pictures later today when I get a chance, but there are definitely two register keys for the thumb. If my memory serves me correctly, there is one in the normal location just above the thumb F, and one a bit off to the right. Which key should I use for written B4-Eb5?
Post Edited (2016-02-18 20:11)
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2016-02-18 20:20
I had one like you describe. I used the first octave key up through E and then the second one for the notes above. It does seem to vary with mouthpiece and reed as to where the switch over should be made. After a while you will get more accustomed to it, but I never felt truly comfortable with it. That's why I went for a one octave key mechanism and am much happier.
Eefer guy
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-02-18 20:20
If the thumb touchpieces are in the typical place for instruments fitted with two separate simple action speaker keys, then you'd use the one that's immediately above (which is at 12 o'clock to) the LH thumbplate for throat Bb to upper register Eb, then release that one and switch to the one that's off to the right from E upwards.
I still don't understand why on bass clarinets (and other instruments in the clarinet and also sax families) equipped with two separate speaker keys that makers have bypassed a semi-automatic mechanism that retains both thumb keys, but the thumb can remain on the lower vent key and actuate the upper (as on oboes/cors/d'amores) which will make the switchover smoother (automatically opening/closing the lower vent when operating the upper vent key) than having to completely release one before opening the other as you can't have both vents open at the same time. On saxes anyway, this will give more opportunity to use harmonic fingerings as can be done on oboes/cors fitted with semi-auto 8ves.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2016-02-19 02:01
Chris P,
I've wondered the same thing, and perhaps part of the answer is that on bass clarinets and saxes, the two register vents are considerably farther apart (in distance) than they are on oboes/cors, so the "upper vent opening toggles to close lower vent" mechanism is harder to implement.
That said, I'm thinking about devising such a mechanism for my otherwise excellent Harry Bettoney bass clarinet upper joint. If I do and it works, I'll take some photos and pass them along.
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