Author: GERALD COREY
Date: 1999-05-02 00:02
Instruments considered:Contrabassoons by Heckel, FOX, Mollenhauer, Schreiber, Guntram Wolf, Püchner, Moosman,
RRiedl (Czechoslovakia older make).. not for bassoons going
all the way down to low A (for any with this key added, finger low Bb1 and then add the low A1 key!)
Listing: (key: LH = left hand, * denotes a change from hand to thumb position for that hand LT or RT for left and right thumb designations, letters in caps = key(s) to depress, parentheses around a letter name = key name: means that adding this finger or key is optional and may help on some instruments for tuning or resonance factors. X = finger to press)
Bb1 (the lowest note on the contrabassoon):
<LH X, X, X, * LT Bb1, Bnat.1, C, D / X, X, X, F * RT E >
B nat. 1 <LH X, X, X, * LT Bnat.1, C, D / X, X, X, F * RT E>
C1 <LH X, X, X, * LT C, D / X, X, X, F * RT E >
C#1 <LH X, X, X, C# * LT C, D / X, X, X, F * RT E >
D1 <LH X, X, X, * LT D / X, X, X, F * RT E >
Eb1 <LH X, X, X, Eb * LT D / X, X, X, F * RT E >
E1 Basic < X, X, X, / X, X, X, F * RT E >
E1 Resonant < X, X, X, C# / X, X, X, F * RT E >
F1 Basic < X, X, X, * LT D / X, X, X, F >
F1 "speed" <X, X, X, / X, X, X, F >
(NB. for all notes from low F up to open F, the low D is best added as a "whisper type key" ..it always improves the resonance on notes in this octave. It cannot be used for Low E of course, or a different pitch would occur.)
F#1 <X, X, X, * LT D / X, X, X, F * RT F# >
G1 Basic <X, X, X, * LT D / X, X, X >
G1 resonant < X, X, X, C# * LT D / X, X, X >
Ab1 <X, X, X, * LT D / X, X, X, Ab >
A1 <X, X, X, * LT D / X, X >
Bb2 <X, X, X, * LT D / X, X, * RT Bb >
B nat.2 <X, X, X, * LT D / X, >
C2 <X, X, X, * LT D >
C#2 <X, X, X, * LT c# key, D >
D2 <X, X * LT D >
Eb2 Basic <X, X, Eb * LT D >
Eb2 technical I <X, X, *LT / Eb (if fitted for index finger) or * RT Eb (if fitted for right thumb) >
Eb2 super speed < O, X, O, * LT D > (NB tuning not great, but a very useful alternate in some passages)
F2 Basic < * LT D / >
F2 resonant < * c# D / >
F#2 Basic < O, X, X, * LT D / X, X, X, F * RT F# >
F#2 Technical option < 0, X, X, * LT D / X, X, X, F, f# >
(note: for F#2, G2 and Ab2, the attacks may crack. To properly vent these three notes will take a newly designed vent key.. but for present day contras, try half-opening the first octave key (placed next to the Left thum c# key); this will usually clear the sound at emission.)
G2 < O, X, X, * LT D / X, X, X >
Ab2 < O, X, X, / X, X, X, Ab >
A2 < X, X, X, * LT I octave / X, X >
Bb3 < X, X, X, * LT I octave / X, X, * RT Bb >
Bnat. 3 < X, X, X, * LT I octave / X, O, O >
C3 < X, X, X, * LT I oct./ O, X, O >
C3 "speed" < X, X, X, * LT I oct. >
C#3 <X, X, X, * LT I oct. c# / >
C#3 (full) < X, X, X, * I and II oct / X, X, X, F >
D3 < X, X, * I and II oct. / >
D3 (full) < X, X, O * LT II oct. / O, X, X, F >
D3 (overblown fifth) < X, X, X, * LT II oct. / X, X, X >
Eb3 Basic < X, X, Eb * LT II oct. >
EB3 (overblown 5th) < X, X, O, * LT II oct. / X, X, X, Ab >
E3 Basic < X, O, O, * LT II oct. or I and II >
E3 (overblown) < X, O, X, * LT II oct. / X, X, X, * RT E >
F3 Basic < * LT II oct. / >
F3 (overblown) < O, X, X / X, X, O * RT Bb >
F#3 Basic < O, X, X, * LT II oct. (or I and II) / X >
F#3 (overblown) < O, X, X, * LT I oct. / X * RT Bb >
G3 Basic < O, X, X, * LT I oct. / O, O, (G) >
G3 (overblown) < X, X, X, * II oct. >
Ab3 Basic < O, X, X, * LT c# and I oct. / O, X >
Ab3 (overblown) < O, X, X, * LT c# and I oct. / O, X, X, Ab>
A3 Basic < X (Eb), X, * LT c# and I oct. / O, O, X >
A3 (overblown) < X, X, O * LT c# and I oct. / X, X, O >
Bb4 Basic < X, Eb, X, O * LT c# and I oct. / >
Bb4 (overblown) < X, Eb, X, * LT c# and I oct. / X, X, * RT Bb >
B nat.4 Basic < X, O, O * LT I oct./ O, X, X, * RT Bb >
B nat.4 (overblown) <X, Eb, X, O * LT I and II oct./ X, X, O, F * RT Bb >
C4 Basic <X, O, O, * LT c# and I oct./X, X, O >
C4 (overblown) < X, O, X, * LT c# and I oct. / X, X, O * RT Bb >
C#4 Basic < O, O, X, * LT I oct. / X, O, O, * RT Bb >
C#4 (another good one) < O, O, X, * LT c# and I oct./ X, O, O, * RT Bb > Sincerely submitted, Gerald Corey, Principal Bassoonist, Canada's National Arts Centre Orchestra, Ottawa, Canada (ardent friend of the contrabassoon: I sell Schreiber contrabassoons (who make all Mollenhauer contras today/ they are 100% identical except nameplates). You can reach me at Tel 613-730-2418 or email = jerrylv@magi.com
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