I would like this page to be a forum for specific problems and specialities concerning the various contrabassclarinet-models.
As the construction of each model is different there are presumably also different ways of playing each of these instruments concerning their range or certain difficulties inherent in their designs. To give a first example:
- Today´s composition often confront the musician with a search for suitable fingerings. A list of fingerings, especially for the high register but also concerning multiphonics, will be posted on this site soon. A comparison of alternative fingerings between the different models (leblanc, selmer etc...) would be very interesting. Please send your own suggestions.
- There are good (if expensive) possibilities to modify existing Low D paperclip models into Low C instruments. If interested, please contact the webmaster for further information.
- The workshop of the company "Lohri" in Switzerland specializes in improving the intonation of Selmer contrabass clarinets. Apparently, many professional players who play Selmer instruments have had them revised in this workshop. Further detailed information can be obtained via www.musik-lohri.ch
- The german instrumentmakers Lothar and Alfred Reidel produce German-System contrabassclarinets. Their Range goes down to the contra E (photos of their instrument will be put on this website soon).
- Buffet is supposed to make contrabassclarinets in the near future (they have had produced at least some already in former times (photos of a metal Buffet contrabassclarinet "low Eb" will be shown soon on the site)
Information that could be valuable for composers to know (and of course, fellow players ...) would also be welcome!
Above all, this page should be kept concentrated and restricted to topics concerned with the idea of filtering existing knowledge from performing musicians and making it accesible to a wider circle.
Thanks in advance -seb.