The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Newer Topic | Older Topic

bass clarinet altisimo

Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-02-11 17:54

Hi

I'm playing a piece on bass clarinet and I would like to ask what are the best fingerings for altisimo A B C. I found very comfortable fingerings for A and C, but the B I found makes the transition uncomfortable, and also the sound of the A and C is much more open that the B I use now.

Here are ones I found so far.

A - R T + right side Bb key

B - R T 1/2x x x x x o

C - R T 1/2x x + right side Bb key

I can sort of play B like this - R T 1/2x x o o o o but it is sharp. I can lip down but maybe there is a better fingering.

In the original recording he actually plays A and then he trills the B to C and stays on C. Although I might not play it like the original I would still like to know how to do it.

There are two more places where I need to play the high B. One is slow and comes after F# above the staff, so I can overblow the F# but the B is sharp as I said. Another is also after the same F# but is very fast and the tuning of the B doesn't matter so overblowing works good.

Any suggestions will be appreciated!

* 1/2x means leaving the small hole open but pressing the key.

Post Edited (2006-02-11 18:03)

Reply To Message

Re: bass clarinet altisimo

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2006-02-11 23:46

Ok, I'm a hack bass player so take this with a grain of salt but....try the A with just Thumb, Octave and the two bottom RH sidekeys (overblown alternate C# for those scoring at home). Then remove Thumb and Octave and add the "G#" key for the B. The C is just then adding the "A" key... a real easy trill. You can get to this A I describe above easily from a standard "F#."

Wait for some real bass players though.

...........Paul Aviles

Reply To Message

Re: bass clarinet altisimo

Author: Shorthand
Date: 2006-02-12 04:28

Tuning will vary a lot instrument to instrument - I think so will fingerings.

Here's a start:

http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/clarinet/basscl_alt_2.html

I recently purchased JM Volta's Bass method book. He has at least 6 fingerings for each of these notes. I can't even begin to describe them - they all look like bassoon fingerings for the most part. The fingerings he uses for the second altissimo harmonic (above F) look totally different than the reference above.

Reply To Message

Re: bass clarinet altisimo

Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-02-12 05:13

Thanks Pual and Shorthand.

I saw J M Volta play live and he is the most amazing classical bass clarinetist I've ever heard.

Reply To Message

Avail. Forums | Threaded View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

The Clarinet Pages

For Sale
Put your ads for items you'd like to sell here. Free! Please, no more than two at a time - ads removed after two weeks.