Is it really needed? Becasues you can`t really hear the bass clarinet. So why need it. Just a waste of money.

you might not be able to hear it if:

a) you`re in a marching band
b) the player isn`t all that great and not using enough air support.
c) you`re playing in a symphonic band setting (large numbers) and there is only 1 or 2 contra bass clarinets.

in my school`s wind ensemble, we have about 45 members, and 1 bass and 1 contra alto. trust me, they can both be heard. they even have solos in a piece we are going to play next semester (blue shades by frank ticheli). so no, they are far from useless. plus they are needed for a clarinet choir

:O unless the whole band's tenor or beartone saxes with the bc you can hear them!! and o_o'''

It depends on teh circumstances.
(bob), in marching band, you're insane if you have a contrabass- the one we have at my school is taller than the girl who plays it! and she's not exactly short.

contras will help boost the overall bass winds in your band. I know i can hear our contra when she's playing with the tubas, so they aren't never heard... she sits way in the back and i'm in the 2nd row. However, it's like most low woodwinds(excluding maybe low saxes)- it's a compliment to be told to play softer.

In a clarinet choir, some sort of lower clarinets are pretty much a must to balance out the large quantites of sopranos- at least to me, it sounds a lot better that way. depending how large hte choir is, you may be able to get away with just bass and alto, but it depends on the balance of the individual group.

To low!! ;(

<Added>

:(

I'm a band director, and I always set up a kid on contra. It's just not a woodwind section without a contrabass. I call it my "secret weapon" at concert contest because it makes my woodwinds sound quite different from most bands'.

If you dont like contrabass clarinets, you should look up octacontrabass...they are much larger than the regular contrabass.

Umm you can hear bass clarinet and they are pretty good they add sound to the low section. But that is just my opinon i guess it depends how m any Low, tuba, bari ect people you have your not spose to be able to hear them you are spose to BLEND with the band (it sounds pretier!)

"If you dont like contrabass clarinets, you should look up octacontrabass...they are much larger than the regular contrabass."


dude... only one octocontrabass exists. and only 3 octocontraaltos. they were made as an attempt to create the complete clarinet choir, not to be used in everyday concert bands. though they are pretty awesome.

if you hvae a weak tuba section, a contraalto clarinet can add to them- unless theres an Eb contra part, which is rare, our contra alto player sight transposes the tuba music- just pretend the bass clef is treble, and add or take away 3 sharps or flats, i forget which.