 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: jimk
Date: 2016-02-01 02:40
Does a properly adjusted bass clarinet require a significantly firmer grip to play than a soprano clarinet? How does it compare to the strength necessary to play an alto sax? I'm trying to play a borrowed bass clarinet and it feels like I'm having to use an extraordinary amount of pressure to get the lower joint pads to seal.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BbMajorBoy
Date: 2016-02-01 03:52
Not really. It sounds to me like it's leaking.
Leonard Bernstein: "To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time."
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2016-02-01 03:55
Yup. Not a firmer grip than any other clarinet or sax. (You would use the strength to overcome the spring tension, but not to make pads seal)
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GeorgeL ★2017
Date: 2016-02-01 17:50
A bass clarinet should require less of a grip than a sax or Bb clarinet. After all, in playing position, its weight is supported by a peg, not the player.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Agomongo
Date: 2016-02-03 08:07
Agreed the bass clarinet shouldn't require much, however the right hand third finger does. However, even that doesn't require you to break the third key, haha.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: emmett1235
Date: 2016-02-03 08:52
I often have trouble with this as I play on borrowed horns from my school. Currently my bass has tenor sax pads on the lower piece because we cannot find anywhere making and selling them within the price range our technician is allotted. Most of my keys are fairly easy to press down, but by no means easier than my Bb.
Northern and Southern Indiana
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2016-02-03 09:48
>> A bass clarinet should require less of a grip than a sax or Bb clarinet. After all, in playing position, its weight is supported by a peg, not the player. <<
It's not completely clear, but it sounds like they are talking about the force required to close keys. So yes, a bass clarinet does need more force than a Bb clarinet, simply because you are moving a lot more weight with more spring resistance.
It's not possible to know what "extraordinary amount of pressure" is, but it definitely sounds like too much. Usually a result of leaking pads or adjustment issues on the instrument.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BflatNH
Date: 2016-02-06 07:49
Certain normally closed key (like the low G#) need extra spring force to keep closed when playing loud. Other keys (like the low E and below) have several springs, one for each pad closed. The other keys, particularly the normally open keys, are often stiffened up to match these, but can be made to work with less spring tension.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
