Contrabass Digest

2001-02-19

From: FOLLASRW
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 19:16:34 EST
Subject: Re: [CB] [CB Digest]
 

In a message dated 2/18/01 6:53:01 PM,
<< it's ridiculous that a school like ours doesn't have a bari with a low A...  >>

Most baris are now made with a low A but not all bari sax specialists think
that is a good idea.  Brad Hubbard plays a  70's Conn (Couf) made by
Keilwerth which goes to low Bb and only uses his low A bari when absolutely
necessary.  The sound and feel are different and the fact that the other
saxes are rarely made with low A should be an indication of some acoustic
problems with the added length.

I made a chromatic low A extension for my bassoon and it creates enough
problems that I only use it for specific Mahler, Wagner and Strauss pieces.
Get your low Bb bari in good working condition and I'll bet you'll prefer to
the low A version.  If nothing else, it's lighter.

Ron Follas
---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 16:25:14 -0800
From: bitwise
Subject: Re: [CB] Bari sax intonation

Mark F. wrote: "So is there some other fingering I can use instead,
or should I try different mouthpieces or harder reeds or something?"

I'd say try *everything* - but one at a time, least expensive first.
Thankfully, the least expensive things are also most likely.
If sufficient "lipping up" is uncomfortable or impossible (seems to
be a common case, from what I read), then try a different reed.
Then an inspection by the repair guy might be in order, followed
by a different mouthpiece. It's just a case of progressive
elimination. Like my contra-alto clarinet that wouldn't play low
E/Eb. It took me most of a month to discover that a slightly
bent key was opening another key when pressed down firmly.
Aren't horn problems fun?

Craig

---------------------------------------------------------

From: "A Johnson"
Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2001 22:45:14 -0600
Subject: [CB]

Basically, it's been happening all along, and I'm getting tired of it, so I
decided to ask you guys. I was just hoping there was some trick to it, but I
guess not, but thanks to everyone that tried to help! =^)

                                         Andrew
                                            A.K.A. Saxman
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