Contrabass Digest

2001-03-05

Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2001 00:57:41 +0100
From: "Klaus Bjerre"
Subject: Re: [CB] A big recorder

>From: bitwise
> Thanks for the information, Hans. I was mainly focusing on the
> distance between toneholes. Even on the much smaller bass
> clarinet, the distance between some toneholes exceeds the human
> fingerspan. I am curious how this was addressed in an instrument
> with only three keys.
>
> Craig

As far as my limited level of informations tells, the relocation of toneholes can be addressed in 2 ways:
 

1. size of tonehole. That is to say, that toneholes that have to be moved closer to the labium, than ideal acoustics would dictate, a diminished in diameter. And vice versa.
2. tilted drilling. The inner opening of a tonehole is placed close to its acoustic ideal, whereas the outer opening is moved closer to an anatomic ideal. The relatively heavy wall of large recorders are helpful in making this feature possible.

Real life mega-recorder construction most likely uses combinations of these options.

As an owner of a number of recorders covering 7 sizes from C "Garklein" to C "Großbas" my concerns is less the keying of the huge Bb recorder, than its bocal.

My F bass is an Alexander Heinrich direct blown model, reversed windway, labium at the chin.

My C "Großbas" is an old Moeck bocal model. But once during a school concert tour I lost the bocal temporarily. So I had to blow the recorder directly into the windway.

What an experience! Fast response. Double- and triple tonguing made possible.

So despite the refound bocal I lengthened the lower right hand keywork and continued to blow it directly.

One of my teachers told me of the frustrations playing the French style pneumatic action organs, because the response was delayed. Often not evenly through the different stops.

So despite any urge for playing huge recorders I do abstain from aquiring any of those needing bocals to make them playable.

Decades ago I saw a German TV feature showing a huge recorder built like an organ pipe. Not circular but square tubing made up of wooden plates. The tubing starting upwards and then going down through two 90 degree bends.  Blown directly into the windway by a quite young girl. Might be something for me.

Klaus
---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2001 01:47:50 -0400
From: Topper
Subject: [CB] eBay Contra-Alto/Bass

There is  a contra-Alto advertised as a bass clarinet that I cann ot
tell if the LH pinky keys are there. Not that I  want to buy it but
it is interesting how the person did not know it was a contra-Alto
and now is claiming it is a contra bass (not in the ad) I did get the
dimensions that the case  is 33" long. A contra-alto... at  last look
under 700. and short yardage.
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1413592089
---------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2001 21:50:47 -0800
From: bitwise
Subject: Re: [CB] eBay Contra-Alto/Bass
 

Topper wrote:
> There is  a contra-Alto advertised as a bass clarinet that I cann ot
> tell if the LH pinky keys are there. Not that I  want to buy it but
> it is interesting how the person did not know it was a contra-Alto
> and now is claiming it is a contra bass (not in the ad) I did get the
> dimensions that the case  is 33" long. A contra-alto... at  last look
> under 700. and short yardage.

   *
Interesting horn, isn't it? How did you get the case dimension?
I asked the seller for standing height (and whether there were
any keys for the R. thumb, indicating an extension - looks like
it does go below Eb), but no reply. He says contrabass? The
four-drawer filing cabinet is the best scale in the picture, and
this horn isn't tall enough. Perhaps he means EEb 'contrabass'?

But it must be a contra-alto rather than a bass - the long A/Ab
keys give it away. As far as I can tell, the L. pinky keys are there.
Just not sure how many (that cluster being the alternate place for
extension keys).

Craig

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

Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2001 06:31:12 EST
From: BJacobs571
Subject: Re: [CB] eBay Contra-Alto/Bass

In a message dated Mon, 5 Mar 2001 17:51:01  Greenwich Mean Time, bitwise writes:
Topper wrote:
> There is  a contra-Alto advertised as a bass clarinet that I cann ot
> tell if the LH pinky keys are there. Not that I  want to buy it but
> it is interesting how the person did not know it was a contra-Alto
> and now is claiming it is a contra bass (not in the ad) I did get the
> dimensions that the case  is 33" long. A contra-alto... at  last look
> under 700. and short yardage.

     I contacted the seller and he is only repeating what he has been told by sombody else. He wouldn't know a contra from a sop. This is not because he is stupid or anything just poorly informed. I have told him I think it is a contra alto I tried to get the diameter of the bore at the neck but he didn't know what the neck was. I would like to buy it but I have gone to $900 and have been outbid so far and I can't afford much more because  the British customs will charge me 20% import tax on it.
 Bernard Jacobs

***End of Contrabass Digest***

 
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