The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

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

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Right Thumb, Under-utilized?

Author: donald
Date: 2007-08-04 10:07

it's quite common for Bass Clarinet specialists to utilise the technique of using the right thumb to operate the top joint trill key (intended to produce throat B flat). This key can be used instead of the register key when playing middle line B- it lowers the pitch and makes the note more stable, even on bass clarinets with a double register key mechanism. This is also useful for producing microtones and multiphonics.
At the OU symposium in 2005 i premiered a piece called "Alone now again" that utilised the right thumb operating the side trill keys on the upper joint (same as described above on Bass clarinet). This was performed on B flat clarinet, and required me to sit down and rest the clarinet on my knee.
Over the years there have been many variations on the tuning keys for low F and E- either operated by the right thumb or various automatic keys linked to the register key. Muellfeld (sp?) played a clarinet that had various thumb keys, including (if i remember correctly) a key to help going from E (top space) to F (top line) on the German system clarinet (where this F is produced either using a "bannana key" or a split fingering).
A thumb key for raising the pitch of low F, custom built and installed by a repair person in the US, was reccently described (with photograph) on this bulletin board. My old teacher had such a key installed while visiting New York in 1988 (i don't know who by though- and this clarinet was later stolen).
donald

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

Right Thumb, Under-utilized?

Ski

2007-08-02 15:39