Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2023-02-07 09:41
I relate to David Kinder's post.
When I was in 7th grade (first semester), I heard/saw bass clarinets for the first time. Two of the eighth grade girls played bass.
I fell in love with the sound, and was allowed to "check one out" over Christmas break. I began playing bass the following semester. Being a shy kid, the two eighth grade girls intimidated me greatly - they teased me a lot, but I loved the instrument and stuck with it, making all-state two years later.
In consideration of playing bass clarinet, I never had any of the negative thoughts mentioned in the earlier posts (at least not at the time). In fact I just loved playing bass. The look, the feel, the sound...even the parts.
Being in a small school with a small band, the bass was very exposed and demanding. If I made a mistake, the entire group knew it. That provided good motivation, and was quite challenging/fun.
Moving to bass clarinet benefited me a lot in the areas of counting, rhythmic accuracy, breath support, being nimble, confidence, etc. Being shy, I would have just hid in the sound of the soprano section, but the exposed parts of the bass forced me to be independent.
It is true - though - that some of the negative things folks mentioned above did come into play a little later. I was well-known as a bass player of some ability (in the context of high school/college playing), and it became difficult for me to refrain from being called on to play bass in various ensembles. There were many good soprano players, and few good bass players...so the conductors and leaders always tried to put me on bass. So, in that light - it was a bit of a trap.
I think most of the snobbery I felt from soprano-only players was short-lived and occurred in the final two years of high school - then vanished in college.
Overall, I feel playing bass at a somewhat early age was (can be) a benefit.
Fuzzy
;^)>>>
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The Clarinet BBoard
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