ok. so in 6th grade, i learned how to play the clarinet. 7th and 8th grade, there was only one tuba and she needed help so I switched to bass clarinet for those 2 years. marching season of freshman year I switched back to regular clarinet so I could march comftorably (i suck at spelling big words). Now here we are in concert season of my freshman year and I switched back to bass clarinet. The only problem is that I feel like my band director doesnt even kno we (basses) are there. He never gives us feedback. He never says play louder or softer, and he always tends to forget us when working on a part [with some other voice] that we have also. My band is very noisy and we have 4 tubas, 3 very loud baritones (that happen to sit right behind me), 2 extra loud bari saxs, and 2 tenors so we have no problem with the bass line. And it`s not like Im a bad clarinet player banned to play bass. I really love low sounding instruments and I was 1 out of the 6 players in our band who played the chair test perfect last month. I just feel unloved.sniffle. So I don`t know what to do. Should I switch back to clarinet? (my band director suggested this in January) Stick to bass? Find some other instrument to play? (i have a flute that im ok on) I`m confused. I wanted to play the bassoon but i don`t know how to play on a double reed...

So yeah...just needed to vent. I doubt anyone`s going to read this anyways. But if you are reading this please comment.

I wish you were in our band! We have 3 tubas, 3 baritones, and 1 bass clarinet player. Our bass player is awful! She had a solo and was so bad at it that our directot made the baritone play the cues along with her. We despritally need great bass line players because for a large band of our size, we are lacking in bass power!

I play the clarinet and the bass as my second instrument. Clarinet players are common, but how many great bass players do you come across everyday? You could be one of the few great bass players!

Maybe your director doesn`t say anything because they know that you`re playing your part right. Have you ever thought about that?

I would say DO NOT switch to bassoon or flute. Would you rather be the best bass player or a person who`s mediocre at bass, clarinet, flute, and bassoon? Stick with clarinet and bass.

Some of the world`s greatest players, singers, and athletes were in the shadows until they hit it big.

If you really hate playing bass, I`d say do the clarinet chair test AND the bass chair test and see which you do better on. Base your decision on what chair you get in each, how much each section needs you, and MOST IMPORTANTLY what you WANT to do.

Hope I could help! Good luck!

heya! yea, switch to the bassoon if you want to. (ok, PLEEASE switch to the bassoon. it is the most awesomest instrument ever. believe me. i played clarinet, but switched to the `soon... i love it. lol. i still play both but my heart is with my bassoon lol.) and the double reed is really easy to get the hang of, actually. well, i`ve never tried the oboe, but the bassoon doesn`t require a lot of air or pressure so the embouchure is really nice and easy on the lips lol. you play flute so i guess you know how overblowing works...

and the good news is that a few of the fingerings are the same. (well, an entire octave)

btw, if you`re looking for attention. playing the bassoon is the worst way to get it. s/he`ll care about you for the first week as you learn the instrument, and people will think it`s cool at first that you you play a big black stick that jutts out of the band, but once you know how to play at an okay level, you will be IGNORED... lol... no really... take it from me. hahaha... especially in a big band =/ no one really cares about the bassoon playing louder or softer because frankly it wouldn`t make that much of a difference...

oh btw, how is playing bass clarinet? i`ve always wanted to try it... it looks fun. looks heavy too... a bassoon in it`s case is only around 14 pounds, and 7 pounds out of it`s case...

a bass clarinet looks like 30 pounds in it`s case. i am NOT gonna walk home with that.

Hey! Well my advice is not to switch. I too play Bass Clarinet, and I love it. I know the feeling of being ignored. My Band director often ignores me, but then again, he`s pretty clueless. I was a sucky clarinet player who was moved to bass clarinet, but that was because my fingers were too small to cover the clarinet holes. Oops! Lol, well, I`m much better at Bass Clarinet. Anyways, I totally get the unloved feeling, most band directors totally ignore the Bass Clarinets(I`ve been under several band directors, every single one ignores the bc`s), rarely do we get cool parts, and the BC is annoying to lug around. However, the sound and the feel of it is so awesome. Dont give up! If you love it, stick with it!

Hate to tell you, but you`re just living the life of the bass clarinet. I`ve been playing myself for two years, but I knew some people who played two years before that. Me and my fellow basses don`t hear anything from our band director until we sit in our "bass clarinet la-z-boy" position! Or until we make a really odd noise...
It doesn`t mean you`re unloved. It just means that the trumpets or flutes prolly NEED more attention.

our bass lines cr ap! weve got a euth and a tenor sax. but we ev got two keyboards playing as tubas. so think yourselves lucky.

this is my second year on bass clarinet after two on soprano, BC is great, i love it! only thing id willingly switch to is contra, and maybe not even that :P we actaully do get pretty good parts in my band(top of 6 in our middle school), currently in the 5 songs we`re working on we have the melody for a time in 2, 16th notes in 1, a beat part in 1 (a march) and whole notes stuff in our slow song. my director doesnt usually ignore us, but when i was in district band the lady there did.

it`s all ok.my band director has me switch from bass to regular all the time and he never says anything about the bass clarinets.he`s just giving you more responsibility to listen and know all the sounds of the music you are playing.

in our band im the only bass clarinet and let me tell you it is very lonley!! our conductor never remembers me, and in my class im the only bass player(everyone else plays trumpet flute or clarinet), and he gives advice to everyone. half the time he`ll say something like (okay, everyone in this class has the melody, and i`ll yell out "EXCEPT FOR HANNAH!!" and he`ll say in an amused way ..."except for hannah" yah, in the pitt band at our school, theres another bc, but he`s really annoying! he`s being playing 2 years more than me and i`m better thanhim alredy! EVERYBODY SHOULD SWICH TO BASS CLARINET!!!

In our band, last year we had 2 bass clarinets, they were pretty good and our band teacher thinks bass clarinets are so cool, so he puts them in the front row with the normal clarinets and flutes, to show off to the audience! This year too, we have 2 new bass clarinetists, inspired by the last years. People love to see the bass clarinets play, and they play good and have a nice sound, but one of them can`t tongue! Anyways, ya, basses are loved at our band!

Yea. I`ve been playing Bass clarinet for 8 years and being ignored is part of the job. Just gotta rock everyone`s face when you get a part that is real important. In our band there are two of us B-net players. We are pretty close and hang out all the time. I would say find another b-net player. Someone who is going through what you are, and just have fun with them.

god bass clarinet girls are hot. It seems to be true all the time.

It`s more like the other way around in my band. We have 2 bass clarinets and I can play louder on my clarinet than both of them! Can you believe that! I barely get any attention because she knows that I know what I`m doing and I practice my music unlike 75% of the band.

Hey people. im in 7th grade and my totally awesome band teacher just let me switch to bass clarinet. i was really excited but a lot of people have been saying that it for people who cant play the regular clarinet worth a penny. but i play really good! i have kept my self in the top 10 all the years ive played out of 23 clarinets. currently i am 6th chair.. i do not understand. i have been to 2 competitions and i got gold at both.. i truly am confused.. please help me! but u should stick with what ever u like better and dont switch jus b/c u think ur band director isnt payin attention to u if u r truly that good, u could be in an orchestra later in life. and it pays a lot too! c ya !