 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2020-12-26 19:05
Hi Everyone,
Attached is a link to a FB page for Meridian Winds in Okemos, MI which is one of the very best music store and repair facility in the area. Operated by the redoubtable Eric Satterlee for many decades, MW is the place to go for any and all woodwind or brass repair. Instrument sales are an important part of the endeavor and over the past few years, Eric has been having instruments made under the Espressivo Okemos brand name; the most recent edition to the line is the Gen 2 Black Bass Clarinet. If you click on the link below, you'll see Professor Kevin Schempf of BGSU holding what ended up being my new bass. Kevin was going to MW to pick up some bass clarinets for his studio at BGSU and since I am in the Covid19 maximum caution group, I asked him to please select a bass for me. See my comments on the thread.
https://www.facebook.com/meridianwinds/photos/a.10152105553381228/10159076908396228/
This is a serious new instrument on the market that has evolved over the last couple of years with lots of input from players like Kevin and other area university professors and serious players. One thing that sets this instrument apart is that it leaves the store in a new BAM case only after Eric's meticulous adjustment.
HRL
PS I have no business relationship of any kind with Eric or MW; I'm just a very satisfied customer.
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Author: kilo
Date: 2020-12-26 22:08
That's exciting, Hank — I hope you'll share your experience with the new bass here for the face(book)-less. There seem to be some new players in the game.
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Author: tdufka
Date: 2020-12-26 22:58
This appears to be the same horn that Kessler and Sons is selling (Sunwin) but with Eric's setup?
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2020-12-26 23:16
tdufka,
Perhaps but I know the register key touch is ala Selmer and there may be other slight build mods. The Kessler is a nice instrument none the less.
HRL
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2021-02-06 02:20
Hi All,
After the first month of playing at home (can't wait to get with a chamber group or wind ensemble), I have found the Meridian bass to be all I could ask for. The intonation is right up there with my Selmer Model 65 as is the key work and ergonomics. I've adapted to the extended range by just doing Baerman Book III scales, arpeggios, and exercises an octave lower.
I've order two books, the Martin Arnold "Bass Clarinet Scale Book" and "Studies for Bass Clarinet" by Gregory Youtz. Both methods have extended range material so I'll be able to better sightread all those ledger lines better on the fly.
If I had a wish list for the Meridian Bass, it would be for an articulated C#/G# like I enjoy using on both my Model 32 and 65. However, it looks like the key mechanism would be easy enough to modify. This type of change is probably very easy for Eric Satterlee at Meridian to add.
Cheers,
HRL
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Author: donald
Date: 2021-02-06 15:56
Great news Hank! I've been doing lots of bass practise over this last month too, and I can totally understand the people who just end up sticking with bass, it's such a great instrument, and it's great to be playing something and getting that feeling like you are making HUGE progress every session. If you've been playing the clarinet for a long time, chances are that your progress during any given ssion is a small increment. It's rewarding to play something where you can feel you're making big steps each time you play :-)
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2021-02-10 02:35
I'm in favor of the low C bass because I played 1 in college for 5 years. How ever, in standard literature, how many pieces exploit the low C? I've read that the Eb Contralto can have a low C too, but I need confirmation about that.
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Author: ebonite
Date: 2021-02-10 15:44
EbClarinet wrote:
> I'm in favor of the low C bass because I played 1 in college
> for 5 years. How ever, in standard literature, how many pieces
> exploit the low C? I've read that the Eb Contralto can have a
> low C too, but I need confirmation about that.
Hi, in the orchestral repertoire, you need a low c model for a lot of the works by 20th century Russian/Soviet composers (e.g. Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Khachaturian). Also, a lot of the more recent repertoire (written since the 1960s or so) uses the low range. If you are asked to play a contemporary orchestral piece, the chances are you will need the low c.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2021-02-12 09:29
>> in standard literature, how many pieces exploit the low C? <<
What is "standard literature"?
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