A) Hard rubber mouthpiece mean NOTHING. You need a piece with a clean facing. On bass something hand faced is almost a must. Mass produced mouthpieces are often made poorly because of the small market. A forbes debut does the trick for $30. If you want something really nice invest in one of David McClune's mouthpieces. He makes one especially for doublers and students. It will last you a lifetime. Your mouthpiece could be causing your issue. Don't get something with too wide a tip. A clarinet is not a saxophone, this adage is especially true when talking about mouthpieces. You need something to press up against while your still learning on bass. A lot of people will tell you to get a Vandoren B-50 or WIDE selmer. It's not a good piece of advice for someone starting out doubling.

If your mouthpiece came with your horn, use it for firewood.

B) (Likely) Your octave mechanism might be out of adjustment. This is a common issue on all bass clarinets, and especially so on cheaper models.

C) (Likely) The horn might not be venting enough because of pad thickness. Pads that are way to thick are often fitted onto these cheaper horns. They prevent proper venting both in the octave mechanism and the body of the instrument. This is less of a problem with the lower register, however when your heading into the stratosphere you need the body of the horn to vent properly. It might also just be leaking.

D) More-so then sax, playing the upper octave on a clarinet (especially bass) requires changes in embouchure and air pressure. Practice your clarinet chops to get rid of the ubiquitous sax doublers loose lower lip. On bass a good exercise is overblown 12ths. You take a low note, hit the octave mech, and then transition to the same not above. What do I mean exactly: finger a low E, Hit the octave mech to go to the B, and then release your fingers to go to the E above that B. Go up a half step and repeat. This should be completely smooth with no cracks. Do this until you are hitting your "ubber D" which is everything open. This will take time.

E) Wood/Low C basses are overrated. I won many an audition on a selmer bundy with a Bay neck and an old student brilhart mouthpiece. Expensive basses are only necessary when your milking that last bit of TONE out of your horn. That said I do currently play on a vintage wood low Eb selmer and a Buffet prestige low C, however I have clocked many hundreds (if not thousands) of hours on bass over the years.

F) Do articulation etudes. They matter. The best ones I've seen can be had for free from Michael Lowenstern's website. (earspasm)

G) Your reed might just be bad. Vandoren is notorious for inconsistency in bass reeds. Try Bass Clarinet Rico Reserve Classics for a similar sounding, more forgiving, and more consistent alternative. Don't play synthetics. They are fine on sax, I don't know why but in my experience they always sound horrible on Bass. I believe this has something to do with differences in facing, but I am not an expert. Take me at my word when I say invest in a good reed case and refinishing plate (if you don't already own one). On sax this is (in my experience) a non-issue, but minor warp in reeds on bass make life horrible. Plus, as an added bonus, your reeds will last longer.

H) Some will say your issue stems from a lack of a "true" double octave mechanism. Frankly this is an excuse. You can (and should) sound great on the horn you have.

Hope that helps.

 

Well, you don't go into much detail as to what mouthpiece you are using or what 'difficult' means with the upper register so I'm going to start with the basics.
IF the mouthpiece is of decent quality, (even those supplied with 'student' horns are generally decent) it shouldn't be the problem.
Your Vandoren reeds shouldn't be an issue when it comes to playing the upper register unless they're closing up as you firm your embouchure.
I'll almost bet that there is a pad not sealing properly and isn't making your life difficult until you pop that register key. Clarinets of all voices are pretty fussy about leaks especially 'above the break'.
If you haven't had it checked out by your tech yet it might be worth your while to rule out leaks before you start blaming it on not having a 'double octave mechanism'.
I've borrowed enough 'school owned' bass clarinets to know that the first thing to do if there is a problem over the break is to drop a leak light and find that dastardly leak or leaks. And I don't think $6000 is an especially 'cheap' bass clarinet.

 

drop a leak light and find that dastardly leak or leaks.

I keep a feeler gauge at home. Sometimes even a leak light isn't enough for these beasts!

 

Under the experienced and gentle touch of the female hand a leak light is more than sufficient.

 

That would be nice, but light does not go up a black tone hole, then around a right angle bend, then through a tiny slit perhaps only 0.01 high, perhaps a few mm wide, but 2 or 3 mm long along a black surface, and become visible to the observer.
Experience has taught me that this statement is correct.

Furthermore, a leak light detects simultaneous closure of all parts that should close together, but unlike a "feeler", dos not detect for equal closing pressure of all these areas. The two are ideals, but to some extent, mutually exclusive because of the way keys are hinged from the side rather than lifting straight, less than perfect hinge tolerances, and because of squishy materials in linkages and a certain amount of flex with linked keys. The ideal compromise is best detected with a feeler.

 

My favourite bass piece is a Geo. Bundy 3. Inexpensive, works on every bass I've gotten my hands on, and goes from concert hall to pit orchestra with ease. I even go bare bones and use an Orange box Rico 3.
I do have an off brand piece that I used before the Bundy that isn't too bad. It's a Marnay and a clone of the Vandoren B45. Hard rubber and pretty reed friendly.
Both pieces are not what I would consider 'resistant'. I really don't think any bass I've played has taken more air than my tenor. More than alto yes, but not more than tenor.
If you would like, I can send you the Marnay to compare with yours.

 

I sent you a PM Bandmommy

 

If you can afford to shell out the bucks, the top-shelf Fobes bass mouthpieces are value for $$. Find the right one, and you're probably done. I've been on one for over ten years now, and haven't considered making a change.

I have had nothing but great experiences dealing with Clark and his gear. Those extensions of his for Eb clarinets are the trick, too.

 

Just out of curiosity.... Are you keeping your left hand index finger on the touch with the little hole in it (left hand F#), or are you using the 'half hole' tab attached under it?
No, I don't think you're an idiot or anything but sometimes silly stuff happens and we end up doing the face palm thing.

 

Cheap bass clarinets are difficult to play in the upper register, period. That's part of what you pay $6000, or much more, for, a horn that responds well and sounds great and in-tune throughout its range. If you have leaks or a poorly-adjusted register key, that will add to the difficulty. Basses can play reasonably well in the low register with leaks that will cause major problems in the upper register. A #2 reed will sound nice and fat in the low end, but wretched up high. Unless you've got a wide open mouthpiece that requires you play on such a soft reed, go with at least a 2 1/2, preferably a 3. Find a strength that plays consistently well for you, low to high. Rico Reserve Classic and Gonzalez reeds work well for me, but find out what works for you. If you've bought a cheap bass, I'm guessing you're not an advanced bass player? In that case, maybe wait on shelling out $300/plus for a pro mouthpiece. Fobes Debut is an incredible value. I use one to back up my Fobes San Francisco. Good medium lay, works well with a 3 or 3 1/2 reed. If you're dead set on buying a mouthpiece that costs as much as your horn, the suggestions above are good. A good bass, with everything working right, should be free-blowing. My Selmer bass can take all the air I can put into it and just keeps getting louder.
Good luck.

 

Cheap bass clarinets are difficult to play in the upper register, period.

NAY I say! You can, and should, get a great tone quality on a cheap bass. It's not easy, but it can be done. One of em' $300 mouthpieces, practice, and sitting down with your tech and a drill bit and slowly reaming the octave mech until the upper octave speaks sufficiently should do it.

(I would hold off on the drill bit until you've clocked in a couple of hundred hours)

Edit: On reaming: I have done it on several cheap basses. I have found that boring out the octave pip often improves tone quality. Especially if I implement a "step pip" where the pip actually gets smaller when it enters the bore. One larger drill bit half way, one slightly smaller one the rest of the way though. This is similar to the octave pip design found on new yamaha two piece body plastic bass clarinets, and I have found it vastly superior to straight pips (the ones commonly found on selmer bass clarinets). Please note that i'm talking about a minor reaming, usually under 1 mm in diameter increase.

No clue why, but it works better. The trick is reaming it so it doesn't bust up the intonation on the B. Thats the challenge.

My tech Jay did this to my low Eb selmer, my Low C buffet, and my late great (now sold) low Eb 5 piece (two piece body) plastic yamaha.

 

Your horn is Chinese if it is not Jupiter.

On Taiwan there are no other clarinet makers. As others have said, bass clarinet, unlike saxophone, can still produce a sound in the low register if there are leaks while these show up as difficulty to play or squeaks in the high register.

Have you horn checked.

 

lol I play clarinet for years the bass seems ok I wish I could afford a better one though

 

Hey, if you have a low A Bari you're willing to part with, I have a selmer low Eb wood bass made in Paris. Reso Tech gold plated reso's on the low G and bellow. White Roo's, Bam Case. I'll even throw in one of them $300 mouthpieces. I posted a thread about possibly trading a while back. On the off chance your interested, PM me.

If not: I wholeheartedly support the Fobes Debut.

 

Some good advice in all the previous posts. Here's some more

As said, have a tech check the octave mech. If it's out of regulation the horn will play badly.
Get (or at least try) a good mouthpiece. I recommend an open Selmer, but there's many other good brands out there.
Although the fingerings are the same a bass clarinet is very different from a clarinet in embouchure and air pressure. Each register requires different settings. Practice lots of large intervals (as said) and arpeggios. Both legato and staccato. You don't need exercise books for that.
There is nothing wrong with with using a synthetic reed. They can sound great. I've used them for years, and know many others that do.
One can sound good on a single register horn, but the 2nd register key on more expensive horns is there for good reason; it makes the horn sound more open and easier to play.

My €0.02. Best of luck.

 

ty to all