 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mtague
Date: 2006-08-09 22:02
Well, I've joined the ranks of bass clari players today. I bought a used one from a music store going out of business. It's an old leblanc, 2-piece body. They had a plastic selmer, which I liked, but the leblanc had a sweeter sound. I'm going to take it in for a repair assessment (it hasn't been played in a long time) because the upper register is hard to hit and I think a pad is leaking (the instrument is pretty tight, but the repair man will know for sure). A newb question though, do I play it position-wise like a clarinet, or to the side like a sax? I suppose one could play it either way... Also, I assume I can just play my normal clarinet music with it for now, until I find some bass specific stuff, right?
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Author: BassetHorn
Date: 2006-08-09 23:04
Congrats on your new acqusition. Besides checking for leaks, make sure its floor peg mechanism is sound (if it has one). The tightening screw has to be gripping the peg positively or else you run the risk of peg slipping and denting the bell when it hits the floor. This is less of a worry if you plan on using a neckstrap either playing sitting or standing.
If you are playing sitting down, then play it as a clarinet position-wise: directly in front of you. If you play it standing, then you can position it slightly to your right hand side if it feels comfortable, I find it feels lighter this way, because it shifts the center of gravity more aligned to my body.
Yep, clarinet music is just fine. Good luck.
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Author: EuGeneSee
Date: 2006-08-11 02:39
Way back in my HS days (abt 1960) I was playing the bass clarinet in the school band. The band director wrapped some of that black electrical tape around the peg a couple of inches below the socket. That couple of inches gave some room to adjust the peg up and down (another student, shorter than me also played it, with his mpc, and he needed the BC a little lower than I). Anyhoo, if the peg slipped because the set screw wasn't tighened, the tape would stop it before the bell banged against the floor. Best I recall, he put about 15-20 turns of tape on the rod making a thick layer wrapped around it . . . then he put a second dozen or so turns abutting the first one and just below it to provide better support.
It proved its utility on several occasions; the bell could not hit the floor with that tape on the peg!!
EuGene
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