[Saxophoniac3]

Hi, I play the sax (grade 7) and clarinet (gr.5) and I was wondering about a bass clarinet.
The main question is, is the bass hard to learn compared to the saxophone and clarinet?
Also, would you recommend it to me, do you like it?.... would I?

 

[masongensman]

I originally played the soprano clarinet before branching to the sax and about 3 years ago in my schools wind ensemble I was asked to play Bass clarinet. At that point i was primarily a bari sax player so the transition was not that big. So the first year it was not too terribly hard Now I play all the saxes in some band or another at my school and play bass clarinet too. I have made all state on alto, tenor and bari and bass clarinet and i can honestly say that it was easy to learn because I already knew the (soprano) clarinet and sax.

Good luck in your Desicion!
keep playin!

 

[Isle of Jazz]

Lots of info at Ed Palanker's site.

There are some distinct differences between the soprano and bass. But if you can learn to control the bass it will help all your instrumental playing. I just picked it up last year - I've been playing soprano clarinet and sax for decades - and, man, I love that beast!

 

[lomaserena]

I like bass clarinet, and you might, too. It's harder than the sax, but not quite as hard as clarinet. Give it a try.

 

[Saxophoniac3]

Thanks for the comments! I was also wondering wether it is hard to produce a good tone on the bass clarinet compared to clarinet (Bb sop.)?

 

[Isle of Jazz]

When it comes to tone, I think having a good mouthpiece is more important, more critical, with the b.c. than with the soprano clarinet or any of the saxes.

 

[Saxophoniac3]

so, would it be harder to have a good tone with standard mouthpeice on bass than soprano?

 

[lomaserena]

I think it's easier to get a good tone on bass than soprano. Listen to some professional players to develop your tone concept. Lawrie Bloom of the Chicago Symphony has some nice videos on Youtube. Bass clarinet embouchure is actually more like a sax embouchure than soprano clarinet. Try to equalize lip pressure all the way around the mouthpiece, take MUCH more mouthpiece in your mouth than soprano, and use lots of air. Use a medium-strength reed. Sure, you can get a loud, fat lower register with a 1 1/2 or 2, but the upper register will be hard to play. Use, at minimum, a 2 1/2 reed, especially if you're using a standard (beginner's) mouthpiece. If finances allow, buy French-cut reeds (the ones with the bark cut straight across). Don't neglect work on long tones on the notes above the break. If you get those notes sounding good, the low register takes care of itself.

so, would it be harder to have a good tone with standard mouthpeice on bass than soprano?

 

[Saxophoniac3]

thanks lomaserena! i've heard that you use less air presure but more air on bass than soprano, and this is one of the thing's I struggle doing on sop.(lots of air pressure/speed)-so would less air pressure but more air be more like saxophone rather than clarinet?

 

[bari_sax_diva]

I prefer both and wouldn't want to choose one over the other.

 

[hakukani]

Ones a small black stick of death and the other is a large black stick of death.

I prefer the sound of bass clarinet to soprano. Same with square/pulse waves from a synth--I prefer the lower frequencies.

 

[lomaserena]

Right. Less pressure, slower air speed, greater volume of air. Rather than the soprano, where you're trying to force high-pressured air through a small opening, the problem on bass is holding back the air you're putting into the horn so that you're not gasping for breath every few seconds. The type of bass clarinet (French) played almost exclusively in the US and Canada has a huge interior volume, much greater than you might expect for an instrument only an octave lower in pitch than the soprano. The amount of air needed is more similar to what's needed for a bari sax than a tenor. You're asking all the right questions. Good luck.

thanks lomaserena! i've heard that you use less air presure but more air on bass than soprano, and this is one of the thing's I struggle doing on sop.(lots of air pressure/speed)-so would less air pressure but more air be more like saxophone rather than clarinet?

 

[Saxophoniac3]

Thanks again so, overall do you think it would be hard switching from sax(alto+tenor)/soprano clarinet to bass clarinet???

 

[Isle of Jazz]

It just takes some getting used to. Your low register will probably sound good, right away. The clarion requires more control and will take a little more time. And the fingering is altered for the altissimo so there's a bit more of a learning curve there. It's hard enough so that a run-of-the-mill player might get discouraged but if you give it a few weeks and apply yourself you'll be able to join the ranks of the bass clarineteers.

 

[lomaserena]

It shouldn't be hard, and your sax experience will likely make getting used to the embouchure easier. Go for it.

Thanks again so, overall do you think it would be hard switching from sax(alto+tenor)/soprano clarinet to bass clarinet???

 

[David Spiegelthal]

I've been specializing in bass clarinet since the 8th grade. I'll put it this way: the musical world is filled with incompetent or mediocre bass clarinetists, while there are very few really good players. So draw your own conclusions about how difficult it is to play. This is just my personal opinion.

 

[Saxophoniac3]

thanks you all! i was wonering because basses are slightly(very) pricey, would it be best to rend one to start??

 

[lomaserena]

Renting rather than buying a new horn is the way to go, but they're not terribly cheap to rent and you may have to call around to find one. For the cost of half a year's rent, you may be able to find a good used student instrument for sale here or elsewhere, and if you find bass isn't to your liking, you can sell it and recover most of the purchase price. Cheapest of the commonly available student horns are Vito and Bundy(SelmerUSA), Jupiter is a little more expensive, and Yamaha is top of the student line. There are some Chinese and Indian-made instruments on the internet that you do NOT want. Stick with the name brands for now. If you're playing in a school group, the school may be able to supply one.

thanks you all! i was wonering because basses are slightly(very) pricey, would it be best to rend one to start??

 

[Saxophoniac3]

sorry for the typo's in the previous post! I think that renting would be a good decision(because it would be easier if I didnt like the bass) although, like you said, renting is not cheap. But I think renting, then buying would be the best decision. What do you think?

 

[bari_sax_diva]

sorry for the typo's in the previous post! I think that renting would be a good decision(because it would be easier if I didnt like the bass) although, like you said, renting is not cheap. But I think renting, then buying would be the best decision. What do you think?

It will likely be difficult to find one available for rent, and expensive if you do. Like lomaserena already suggested, if you play in a school group it's probably a good first step to see if they have one you can use.