 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Steve B.
Date: 2005-04-30 13:37
For those of you who have a clarinet with the Aux Eb. Do you like them?
When do you prefer to use the left hand Eb as opposed to the traditional
fingering. Has the additional key ever tripped you up during a fast passage.
I am currently debating removing the key from my new Festival. Has anyone else done the same?
Steve
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-04-30 13:49
I've got articulated G# and LH Eb lever on my Buffet and have been using it since the 60's.
Mazzeo didn't like the Articulated G# because it interferred with one of his favorite alternative fingerings.
But, the Eb is always there when you need it. For the last year, I've been thinking of a new clarinet and been paying a lot of attention to my use of the LH Eb. I've tried to mark my parts to avoid its use so that I could feel ok with buying ( a possibly used) clarinet without one.
In the last month, I've given that noble effort up. I find it handy, and it can almost always get me out of a tight spot.
In particular,
The Bb part in Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, although slow, is full of pinkie finger swaps.
In the Mozart Eb Major trio for Clar, Viola, Pia, there is one place where a Left Hand Eb just fits better.
I'd leave the Eb on the horn. It can be handy
Bob Phillips
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-04-30 13:58
I have it on my Selmer-Paris bass cl, wish I had it on my Sel alto cl, have it and use it [when needed] on several full Boehm sops. For me, its most handy when playing in many sharps [and flats] to ease the cross- fingering, "plan-ahead" [?slide?] problems in the lower clarion notes, also the chal. of course. I dont find any "slow-down" in fingering response. If you dont like it, perhaps you can find a ?Leblanc? which has the right-hand "fork" Ab/Eb to help "tough" note combos. My thots, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2005-04-30 14:28
My Bb clarinet doesn't have one, but my A clarinet does. I like it. I mean, it doesn't really get in the way once you're used to it and it helps in some cases. Honestly, I hardly ever use it, but there are times when it's nice because you can avoid having to double finger notes in awkward passages.
Why do you want to remove it? Does it get in the way? Do you ever use it? I say just take it off and give it a try. You can always put it back on...
DH
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Author: William
Date: 2005-04-30 14:39
My old clarinet professor also removed the lh Eb/Ab aux key because it often got in his way. On clarinets that I auditioned, I also found it hard to get used to (at my old age) and, consequently, bought a new set of clarinets without. However, my new(er) Prestige bass clarinet has "the key" and the more I play the bass, the better I like having that extra Eb/Ab option. And.....I am beginning to wish that my other clarinets had them as well (old dog discovers new trick??).
Bottom line advice: you can get along without the key, but if you are young enough to learn to easily use it, the aux lh Eb/Ab lever is a definate technical plus. Buy it and play happily ever after.
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Author: Steve B.
Date: 2005-04-30 14:44
Well my aux key is the newer Buffet design that is located on the
outside post. I believe the original design was located between the
B and C# keys. I think the new design is good because the key can be removed without leaving a gap between the B and C# keys.
But during fast chromatic runs my pinky sometimes swipes the key. I think it may just be a matter of getting the key angle adjusted. (or adjusting my technique) But for the time being I think I'll leave it off as I feel more secure without it. Does anyone else have this experience?
Thanks,
Steve
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-04-30 15:25
I played a Buffet with the LH Eb/Ab key for many years. I don't think I've ever used it, and it's never got in my way of playing a B/E or C#/F#, so I never thought about removing it. Now I play a clarinet that doesn't have this key.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2005-04-30 16:09
I have an A clarinet where I have the reverse problem. There is an alternate Eb for the left hand, but it is too far a reach for my slightly short fingers. I would like to use it. Has anyone ever had an additional piece put on that would make it closer?
Johng
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2005-04-30 16:52
My 3/4 Boehm Leblanc LL has the aux. Eb/Ab key. I find it useful in eliminating slides with the pinkies. Another example of a piece where it is useful is the Preludio to the Violin Partita in E major by Bach. Without this key the piece would be much more difficult to execute.
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Author: theclarinetist
Date: 2005-04-30 19:47
haha... I'm a wimp. I've played the Preludio, but I transposed it down to CM (it's still got some hard fingering patterns though... alot of stuff with first finger and thumb of the left hand)... I realize this is off subject, sorry!
DH
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Author: vin
Date: 2005-04-30 20:55
On the weeks I need it, I use it. On the weeks I don't, I take it off (remember to save the screw). I've actually only needed it once.
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Author: Ken Mills
Date: 2005-04-30 22:24
Dear Steve; I had one installed on my Vito V40. Play 3,2,1 on the low F scale, or 1,2,3 repeatedly. Can't do it without this key. I had it installed on the outside like the Selmer Signature which has it standard but capable of being removed with a piece to replace the space: a hundred dollars. I need it for many passages that I am not going to describe. Let us fill the lacuna, Ken
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Author: clarisax
Date: 2005-05-01 19:33
i have a festival clarinet with the Eb lever. the Eb lever is actually one of the reasons i chose this horn. after getting used to it i have no problems with it getting in the way. it makes sight reading passages with a lot of accidentals a whole lot easier. it eliminates the need to jump or slide between keys played with the same pinky in certain pieces of music.
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2005-05-02 03:44
I've used the auxiliary lever key on both soprano clarinets for about forty years, and on bass clarinet since 1970 or so. It's a lot more facile in extreme keys (think musical theater and transposition, mostly), and a lot smoother when sight reading something (again, think the limited rehearsal schedule of musical theater).
Most who don't like it are the ones who have used the "add on" versions that are hung off of the side of the LH little finger stack. I've used these horns as well, and agree that the outside position is a lot less "centered" and a harder reach when playing at speed.
With the semi-demise of the "full Boehm" horns, I'm glad that this option has become "semi-standard", just in case I have to replace the pair due to theft or a car wreck or something.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2005-05-02 22:04
If it is in a centre location, and one removes it, then it leaves a gap which makes it more difficult to slide between the remaining levers on the rare occasions this is necessary than it would be if the remaining levers were close together.. Perhaps this is the problem Bob Phillips had.
On some quite recent Selmer Paris model(s) - perhaps even still current, as an optional extra, it is very poorly designed, such that the lever can quite easily slip our from beneath the G#/D# key, jamming the use of this key. Sorry, I cannot remember the models name(s). I also find this a particularly challenging problem for the technician to make reliable. I curse Selmer every time I encounter one.
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Author: Steve B.
Date: 2005-05-02 22:43
Well, after careful consideration, I decided to put it back on and learn to both avoid it and use it. My son's teacher pointed out that I might be keeping my left pinky too flat. Sure enough, if I play the B and C# keys with my little finger more curved, I no longer swipe the aux key during fast chromatic runs.
Yes, it will be a little tough to break an old habit, but I'm hoping that the availability of the aux key will more than make up for that.
As for what Gordon said about the location, it is no longer in the center but on a side post. When Buffet re-designed the key for the Festival & Prestige, they shaped it more or less like the Selmer Paris Signature key. The key tip is still in the center of the B and C#, but if you remove it there is no gap, almost like it was never there. Good design.
Steve
Post Edited (2005-05-02 22:45)
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Author: Wes
Date: 2005-05-03 06:06
Having played the LH key for years on full Boehm Buffets, I thought I preferred it, I now don't care after playing R13's for 15 years. I kind of wish they made it standard as it is relatively not so expensive.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-05-03 23:28
My pinky slides just fine, so I find the auxiliary lever unnecessary. On those of my instruments which have the lever, I've found it usually gets in the way 'as installed', in which cases I've cut the auxiliary spatula shorter. Don't try this at home.
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Author: CJB
Date: 2005-05-04 12:48
johng - I've had exactly that problem with almost all the aux Eb key instruments I've tried. Much of my problem is finger length but part of it is the angle of my wrist, dropping it slightly helped a lot. I can just reach it on my Yamaha bass but you can see white over my knuckles. None of my other instruments have one. I have similar problems with the low Bb on many saxophones - if I can reach the key I don't always have the finger strength to reliably close it.
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Author: susannah
Date: 2005-05-05 01:56
I also have buffet festivals, and took the aux Eb key off both the A and Bb. I've never missed it and found that it just added extra weight and clutter!
After all, it probably takes less time to practise a passage by sliding than to get used a new key. (IMO)
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Author: woodwind650
Date: 2005-05-09 16:09
I have never been bothered by the key on my horns. I used Buffet Festivals for the last 10+ years, and now I have a set of Opus II's which also have the same mechanism on the left hand. I would admit that most of the time I do everything the standard way, as if the key wasn't there; but the times that I have needed it sure has helped. My fingers are fairly long so it's not as much a stretch for me as for others with smaller hands/fingers.
Like Steve B. said, if you can keep those fingers curved and place them on the tips of the keys, you won't run into the auxillary Eb key.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2005-05-09 18:33
After years of playing a Buffet Prestige and a Buffet Festival, I decided to save $ and purchase a new standard R-13. Needless to say, there is no AUZ Eb key. There have been times I really yearned for it, but have finally gotten used to not having it.
I found that I had learned to use it more than I thought I had in fast passages.
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