Well, Tiffani, for the best breathing while playing just sit with your back straight.You don`t have to try too hard to get a note out,although some are difficult. simply keep the position of your embouchure and apperachure correct and blow without puffing your cheeks.

Dont dis the bass! I`ll hunt you down!

I know the song well. Actually we just got done playing the Nutcracker in band and I got to play the bass clarinet solo in the Sugar Plum Fairy. It was AWESOME.

nutcracker?

mediocre stuff (nutcracker)

please, are you people still in middle schooL?

FACT: less people play bass clarinet than the b=flat soprano clarinet, NOT because it`s harder, but because that`s how most band arragnments work

Can`t people just accept that some bass clarinets DO SUCK, and some don`t??? it works both ways?

Kids,kids,kids!!!! In real bands only the best clarinet players get to play the bass clarinet. If only the last chair get to play bass you need a new director! I have played the clarinet for over 35 years and my father for over 67 years. My daughter has sat 1st chair clarinet for 4 out of 5 years. She has played bass for 2 years now. Our high school band is a top award winning band nation wide. You should hear the bass solo she rocked the band with last week at a district competion!!! Keep playing!!! A band is a team. Everyone is important! Learn to love the music!

CLARINET OBSESSOR YOU DONT KNOW s*** ABOUT BASS CLARINETS
IM SECOND CHAIR CLARINET AND I SWITCHED TO BASS CLARINET ITS FOR PEOPLE WHO DONT PREFER THE OTHER CLARINETS

I am NOT in middle school! I am a senior in high school. Nutcracker is a very difficult peice for a HIGH SCHOOL BAND. The one you are thinking of is probably an arrangement for middle school. The one we played was for high school to college level. And I do love music. I plan on being in it til i die.

I am NOT in middle school! I am a senior in high school. Nutcracker is a very difficult peice for a HIGH SCHOOL BAND. The one you are thinking of is probably an arrangement for middle school. The one we played was for high school to college level. And I do love music. I plan on being in it til i die.

I`m afraid your statement could not be more incorrect. You see, we are not sent there because we suck, but because we are *better* that everybody else. Notice they never have that many BC? Its because they take the best from the saprano clarinets and move them to bass, they have enough mediocre clarinet players to support the sound of the section.

Two of the Best Clarinet Players in our school have been playing the base clarinet for @ and a half years

I didn`t read all the replies but just reading a few it seems to me that you guys don`t really understand the bass clarinet. I`ve been playing for quite a bit now, and am currently working on my Bachelors of music in bass clarinet performance. It has been proven that clarinet players that switch to bass clarinet cannot play it at all. Why, cause you don`t know how to play it! And who has made this statement, several well-known professional bass clarinetists that play extremly difficult music. In in many cases, harder than clarinet. And don`t get me wrong, once clarinet players actually figure out how to play it or get a teacher (bass clarinet not clarinet!) they can discover the full wonders of the instrument. Clarinet is also hard to play yes, but many professionals feel that bass is harder. It seems to me that some of you, who have tried it, couldn`t produce a sound or have made a really akward sound. That`s why you hate it. I have never played clarinet for solo purposes or in a band. I have one but contrary to most of you, I use it to help me with my bass clarinet. Clarinet is my second instrument. I just don`t like it. I can play it but it doesn`t excite me. Its a beatiful instrument though. It may seem strange but I feel like theres more to explore with the bass clarinet. Theres tons of solo pieces that are challenging and fun. And fingering, and tonguing techniques are different than clarinet. For instance I tongue the low G, differently than the low A, and the throat register. I just believe no one should be making any false claims until they have actually gotten to a certain level, or have actually heard a professional bass player. Believe me, I have heard many clarinet players that have played bass just so you could try it and you guys suck. Treat it like a real instrument. It is completly different! And you will find it difficult and challenging. Band parts don`t do nothing to show off the bass. Take a look at some orchestral parts, and you`ll be amazed! I hope this blaming thing ends. We`re all a clarinet family, lets try to embrace one another and not point at one another!
Matt

i just switched to bass clarinet and i agree that it is a lot more hard than clarinet,but it doen`t mean i suck cuz i switched from clarinet! i am the best in my class at playing clarinet, and we`ve only been playing for a year and a half! so dont diss bass clarinet.

I heard of the bass clarinet. It does have the same notes as the clarinet I play, but it`s LOWER.

I played a Bass Clarinet, I am sorry if I hadn`t know how to play an alto clarinet I would have never figured it out.

Any Clairnet Player who wants to sound better should play a bass clarinet or even better a contra bass clairnet for a year.

Your pitch, and tone quality will be absolutly awesome when you go back to the regular clairnet, or alto clairnet, or sax.

Bass Clarinet is the most commercialy used instrument. Listen for it on comercials, TV or Film scores. Lower wood winds are the best foundation for a band, the brass basses are the bass beat, but the low wood winds, are the foundation of the total sound. Respect all members of your band.