 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: yvonne246
Date: 2009-06-26 15:43
I have played clarinet for many years now, but absolutely love the sound of a bass clarinet. Are there any similarities in fingering etc? What would be the best way to go about this? Thanks.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-06-26 15:47
For the greatest part, fingerings are identical. There are some minor differences, but it isn't a really steep learning curve. That's the nice thing about the clarinet family. One you learn the fingerings for one of the instruments, you pretty much have them all learned. If you want to get serious about bass clarinet, you should also train yoursaelf to read bass cleff.
Jeff
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Author: yvonne246
Date: 2009-06-26 16:00
Ahhhh the dreaded bass clef! I play piano at around Grade 2 standard but have never quite mastered reading bass fluently so learning bass clarinet may encourage me to improve! Thanks for the advice re fingering. Yvonne.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-06-26 17:13
Take a look at my website, I have several articles on my bass clarinet page that might be of some help, especially the article on Bass Clarinet for Dummies. There is a substantial difference in the voicing, especially in the register above the staff. The fingerings in the altissimo register do differ somewhat from the Bb clarinet. I think you will find some of the articles useful. They all appeared in the Clarinet Journal at one time or other. If you have any questions you can contact me at my e-mail address, I'd be happy to try to help you. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: BrianChau
Date: 2009-06-28 06:11
I believe that you don't need to know bass clef for bass clarinet. To my understanding, bass clarinet music is written in treble clef.
Brian
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-06-28 07:07
Bass clarinet music written by reasonable, rational, sane human beings is in treble clef. Bass clef makes its way on to the bass clarinet player's stand from time to time.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-06-28 14:55
In the orchestra literature there are a great many works written in the bass clef. It's referred to as the "German" way of notation. It can get confusing at times because some composers didn't understand what to do when they wanted to write in the upper register. See my website in the bass clarinet page. ESP
http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2009-06-28 22:58
And wait until you get one of the bass clarinet orchestral parts written for a non-existent instrument pitched in "A". Hah!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2009-06-28 23:17
David Spiegelthal wrote:
> And wait until you get one of the bass clarinet orchestral
> parts written for a non-existent instrument pitched in "A".
and written in bass clef. ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
...GBK
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2009-06-29 00:47
I actually prefer bass clarinet parts written in the bass clef, especially those using the low C extension. Try reading parts that are continually using four(!) ledger lines beneath the treble staff!
Post Edited (2009-06-29 13:46)
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2009-06-29 00:58
I wouldn't say nonexistent. I saw one in a museum once. It was curved halfway through, looked kinda like a bassoon with a single reed and mouthpiece.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2009-06-29 03:16
There was a thread somewhere (here or on the Clarinet Digest, I think) years ago about actual bass clarinets in "A" --- I think the conclusion was that a few had been made to special order by Selmer, and that something like six such instruments existed in the USA. My recollection of the discussion may be faulty, but that's what I remember.
All that aside, if a player is only interested in playing concert band music, then treble clef alone is sufficient -- but to play orchestral or chamber music, you'd need to learn to play in bass clef, which isn't difficult (heck, I learned it) and, as Larry points out, is often easier than reading some parts in treble clef.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2009-06-29 04:29
This is all a matter of what you want to do, or what you need to do for it.
I never had to read bass clef. I learned it (a little) years ago but I am probably very bad with it now since I haven't practiced it anymore, and I've never had to use it. I don't think I play what Dave calls "concert band music", but I never had to read bass clef in any music, including orchestal and chamber music. It is just because of the specific music, not what group or type of music, since I don't play "regular" orchestral or chamber music.
I guess I'm used to the ledger lines because I just it all in treble clef and most of what I play that is written have notes to low D, Db or C and sometimes a lot. Usually people just write in treble clef but a few times some asked me.
So re the comment that a serious bass clarinetist should read bass clef, the answer is: It depends.
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Author: BflatNH
Date: 2009-06-29 18:56
I have found it useful to read Bassoon and Cello bass clef (in C).
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-06-30 01:48
There is a wealth of material written for the bass clarinet in A and much of it is in the bass clef. Ravel, Wagner, Mahler to name a few. There was a bass clarinet in A being manufacture several years ago but I don't believe the market was big enough to warrant them to keep them in stock. I do believe they can be special ordered. How impractical is it to have two bass clarinets to keep in tune. Especially if your part asks you to play regular clarinet in Bb and A as well. Who could even carry all those instruments? A clarinet player in an orchestra has to learn to transpose to C and A and a bass clarinet player has to learn to read bass clef and transpose to A from both clefs as well. It's not so difficult. I have my students use the Bach cello Suites using the original cello parts to learn the bass clef, it's great music too while your learning. ESP
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2009-07-15 01:09
I have all my bass clarinet students learn to read bass clef and also to transpose.
I use easy clarinet methods, using very simple tunes, and have them transpose up a step, down a half step, and up a half step.
I use easy cello books to teach them bass clef.
Reading bass clef and transposing some music is part of EVERY lesson.
Wish someone had done that for me when I was that age.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
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