Contrabass Digest
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2001-05-05

 
From: Littleoboe
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 20:42:06 EDT
Subject: Re: [CB] [CB Digest]

just tell us when, and we can all play our lowest notes possible at the same
time.  heck, if enough of us play at exactly the same moment, we'll probably
rattle all the windows in the country with our mesmerizing pitch.
-lil' oboe
 

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Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 18:47:05 -0600 (MDT)
From: Shouryunus Sarcasticii
Subject: [CB] The Specifics!

Okay, for those of you who DON'T know...the New Mexico State University
Symphonic Winds is travelling to Washington DC in two weeks for a short
performance tour.  Those of you on mailing lists whom I haven't had the
pleasure to meet, it'd be great to at least get the chance to shake your
hand (our schedule is quite packed, so socializing is pretty much out,
except for maybe a late night drink or two, but I'd still like to meet
anyone in the DC area).  It'd also be great to say hi to my
threeve-gajillion family members in the area, too.  So, here's a
rundown of what we're doing, and when:

Wednesday, May 16

Thursday, May 17 Friday, May 18 Saturday, May 19 We're taking a big ol' list of stuff to play, so each performance will vary.  Here's our selections:
  I hope I can meet any of you out there - I'm not hard to spot.  I'm the
clarinet player in the tuxedo!  And I have long hair, too.  I won't be
playing bass or contra for this (I'd rather not travel with the contra
anyhow, and I'm not our bassist this semester), but I'd still like to run
into some folk from those listservs as well!

Hope to see you there!

J. Shouryu Nohe
Soon-to-be-Graduate, New Mexico State Univ.
"Never put passion before principle.  Even when win, you lose."
      -Miyagi-san, KKpt.II
 
 

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From: PaulC135
Date: Fri, 4 May 2001 23:23:52 EDT
Subject: Re: [CB] [CB Digest]

In a message dated 5/4/01 4:37:12 PM, contrabass.com writes:
>>       I was finally able to track down the collector in Detroit
>>who has 3 Heckelphones (no, he does not play).  He also has 140
>>soprano saxes, 3 bass saxes, and a Buffet contrabass sax(!), among
>>a bzillion other wind instruments of every description. He does not
>>plan on selling any of his collection at present. I believe that he
>>will sometimes allow collectors / players to view some of his
>>treasures... >>

Sounds like you found Ron Semak!!  If so, I knew him well!
Paul Cohen
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Date: Sat, 05 May 2001 03:13:15 -0700
From: bitwise
Subject: [CB] Bass Clarinet Restoration

Some of you may remember I had undertaken to have a 1940's
wood bass clarinet restored. It was made in France by Coudet,
which I understand was a trade name of Martin Freres, and quite
well-known in it's day (they closed up after WWII). That, by the
way, is all I know about the maker. Further input welcome.

The restoration has reached the 'playing condition' stage, wherein
the horn can be made to sound all notes. As I had hoped, it has
a wonderful tone, and I like the way the keywork fits my hands.
To my pleasant surprise, it blows quite easily (Yamaha 4C
mouthpiece with Vandoren 2-1/2 reed).

Now for the minuses. There is no provision for a peg. This horn
is light enough that I could use a neckstrap (just have to find a
replacement eyelet post), but a peg would be better. Any ideas
on how best to attach one? I would prefer not to solder anything
to the bell.

More serious is the intonation: a little over 1/4 tone sharp
throughout the range. There is no real provision for tuning; this is
the old-style neck that ends in a corked tenon. Pulling it out
disables the register key on the neck. Could this clarinet have
been made to some standard other than 440? Is there any
practical way of bringing it down? Lipping it down is not an option.

Craig
 

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From: Fmmck
Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 08:16:00 EDT
Subject: Re: [CB] Bass Clarinet Restoration

In a message dated 5/5/01 6:11:38 AM, bitwise writes:

<< I would prefer not to solder anything to the bell.
More serious is the intonation: a little over 1/4 tone sharp
throughout the range. >>

Craig-

I understand the A=440 standard dates to several years before WW II, but was
not fully adopted until sometime in the 40s.  I have a Bass Clarinet that
Leblanc claims was made in the mid 60s, but has a similar problem with
intonation.  Perhaps mine was made for use in one of the few countries that
kept a higher pitch as their standard.  With the adjustable neck pulled out
as far as possible, C on the staff is just in tune but the throat tones are
way flat.

On an instrument whose pitch isn't too high, a compromise may be possible.
By pulling out at the center joint (assuming you have a two-piece body), and
also pulling out at the neck or mouthpiece, you may be able to get more notes
close enough to "lip" into tune.

Like it or not, attaching the peg to your bell may be the best option.  There
can be considerable stress on the attachment point, which will eventually
lead to stripping of screw holes in the wood.  If you insist, I suggest
having at least two attachment points to distribute the stress and minimize
the effects of rotational torque.

Fred McKenzie
MMB
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Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 09:53:47 -0400
From: Michael C Grogg
Subject: [CB] re: Bass Clarinet Restoration

Warning, Saturday morning response from a tuba player
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Now for the minuses. There is no provision for a peg. This horn
> is light enough that I could use a neckstrap (just have to find a
> replacement eyelet post), but a peg would be better. Any ideas
> on how best to attach one? I would prefer not to solder anything
> to the bell.

Not paying attention to the details on Bass Clarinets are manufactured,
it would seem most reasonable to look at other bass clarinets and see how
the peg is attached, buy a replacement peg that looks good and attach it
the same way as is accepted practice by the manufacturers.  Perhaps too
simple, but practical.

Another direction is to fabricate a rest that sits on the floor and you
can rest the horn on when you are playing.  A stack of old phone books
would do in a pinch.  Tuba players use rests to help support ungainly
instruments a fair amount of the time, both manufactured and homemade out
of blocks of wood, old magazines, foam rubber and duct tape among other
things.

> More serious is the intonation: a little over 1/4 tone sharp
> throughout the range. There is no real provision for tuning; this is
> the old-style neck that ends in a corked tenon. Pulling it out
> disables the register key on the neck. Could this clarinet have
> been made to some standard other than 440? Is there any
> practical way of bringing it down? Lipping it down is not an option.

I had this problem with a tuba I purchased new in 1970...made in W.
Germany and played very well in tune in B natural, with slide pulls and a
lot of lipping down I could get an acceptable Bb.  I have also noticed
that most European recordings the orchestras seem to tune well above 440,
more like 444-446.  I have heard this also from American horn players who
have gone to Europe to play, and promptly had to have the slides all cut
down on their instruments to get up to local pitch over there.

The old pitch ranged some where in the 452-456 range, with other regional
variations.  It is very possible your horn is one of the variations last
built in some form of high pitch.  On Brass instruments, it is relatively
easy to fabricate some new slides to bring down the pitch, but on your
instrument the spacing of the tone holes limits what you could do.  One
thing I remember reading about, was during the time when the great change
to modern low pitch came about, lots of metal clarinets particularly in
schools were modified to low pitch by gluing a length of cord or small
diameter rope in the bore of the instrument which lowered the pitch more
or less to low pitch.  Probably adequate for public school bands where
intonation is rather theoretical, but perhaps not very elegant for
serious playing.

Another option I know of is to learn to play the instrument as is and
transpose the music to fit.  I know of a fine tuba player who had a nice
Eb tuba in high pitch, that learned to play everything at sight with
Enatural fingerings.
His was more of matter of economics, he didn't have the money for a
different instrument, so he adapted.
I suppose it would be similar to learning to play  A clarinet parts on
the Bb, push everything in, and tune to Bnat, and transpose like a
maniac.
 

Just my thoughts for a Saturday morning.

Michael Grogg
________________________________________________________________
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From: "Tom Izzo"
Date: Sat, 5 May 2001 11:38:20 -0500
Subject: Re: [CB] Bass Clarinet Restoration

> Now for the minuses. There is no provision for a peg. This horn
> is light enough that I could use a neckstrap (just have to find a
> replacement eyelet post), but a peg would be better. Any ideas
> on how best to attach one? I would prefer not to solder anything
> to the bell.

Temp fix might be a hose clamp around the lower section holding a peg.

> More serious is the intonation: a little over 1/4 tone sharp
> throughout the range. There is no real provision for tuning; this is
> the old-style neck that ends in a corked tenon. Pulling it out
> disables the register key on the neck. Could this clarinet have
> been made to some standard other than 440? Is there any
> practical way of bringing it down? Lipping it down is not an option.
>
Are longer "barrels" available for a Bass Clarinet, as they are for
Sopranos?

Tom
 

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