LSO Masterclass - Bass Clarinet

[Lamar933]

Bassoon and Bass Clarinet for life! Hoping a to get a contrabass version for both of them

[ClarGibson]

I play the Bass Clarinet and the Bb Clarinet! I'm trying to get a Contrabass Clarinet.

[11spices]

Great info video!

[mrgrill99]

Best instrument ever!

[sk8erhannah14]

i play bass clarinet ! (:

[gabycute2412]

Cool! It kinda plays kinda like the clarinet and u can also play base on it! It's like a clarinet but with more sounds!!

[HelloxxPanda13]

looks like an oboe.... =l

[TheFlyingAtheist]

ME and best friend are doing bass for band, I may move to baritone sax and in HS im going to Contrabass.

[venskus2009]

for some reason, no matter what bass clarinet i play, my middle line Bb is airy. every instrument i play. every other note sounds great. can asnyone help me out

[Micr0Snip3]

@venskus2009

Same here!

[ZimmerNinja]

i play one of those in my band

[davidovich00]

it kinda sounds like a bassoon. But with an oboe feel to it. I bumped into this while looking at the sheet for Mozart's 25th, which included a thing called corno di basseto. I'd never heard of it before that. The bass clarinet is supposed to equal its sound.

[plavapen]

Bass clarinets and bassoons are love. <3

[snook89794]

i miss playing the bass clarinet.. so so much.

[smallkill69]

Very neat. 

[Hoopermazing]

I love the sound of that instrument. But, it looks like it would cost tens of thousands of dollars to purchase... and then thousands more to keep maintained.

I was right. A Selmer Paris bass clarinet is $28K.

[AuroraCelest]

@Hoopermazing

Pssh, no. I may not a have a professional instrument, but I have a wonderful bass clarinet that I got for one thousand dollars. Remember, although owning a professional instrument is great, a true bass clarinetist can make herself sound great on an ancient, banged up piece of junk, a plastic beginners instrument, or a Buffet. Try LeBlanc; the price is resonable and I've had that instrument for four years now, and it's still working and serving me well.

[popkocher]

Tänn Dann

[jasonbang1345]

wow

[BulldozerNDF]

I've been playing Bass Clarinet for 5 years now and I STILL can't play above the above staff B... Can you PLEASE tell me what I'm doing wrong?

[arnoldzAAHHn]

Your tone is just amazing and the the way you manipulate the legato and dynamics. Never have I ever heard such a full, rich sound. I myself am a bass clarinetist and I hope one day I can achieve such remarkable sound.

[piplupmaster100]

i play bass clarinet, i love it if it werent a inaminate object id marry it. bass clarinets rule!!!

[eponce09]

sometimes i wish i had invested more into my bass clarinet....

[ILuvvTomKaulitz]

I switched back to the bass clarinet finally. Oh how I missed it.

[candygrl48]

i play the Bb clainet too can we switch to the bas clarinet

[jerkboprejectmascot]

Im getting a bass clarinet saturday im so happy

[podperson13]

i switched from alto sax to bass clarinet this year. it's really easy to learn and an awesome instrument

[54321thedeathbed]

Im going from sax to oboe

[mscowper]

Amazing sound, horrible posture...haha

[BassClarinet2010]

Holy crap he sounds amazing...

[Jlundy12]

i play the Bb Bass clarinet not that one that one is ugly looking lol

[pianomancuber91]

@Jlundy12 Are you serious? That's a Buffet Prestige model with low C. It's a gorgeous instrument tone-wise and physically. It has an alternate Eb/Ab key, 3 low D spatulas, and a slightly longer bell to make the intonation of the lows better.

[trbo2na]

what a wonderful and respectable man. i want to shake his hand

[turbacamp]

I think he meant the late 19th Century (that's the 1800's)...not the 18th C

[foreignboy221]

I'm playing bass for my last youth orchestra concert of the season, and I had only played it once before. The hardest transition is getting the high notes to speak well, because if you bight even the tiniest bit the notes start to squeak out overtones. I've had it for a month or so and I'm pretty accustomed to it now, but not completely.

[BassClarinetMonarch]

@foreignboy221 depending on the mouthpiece, you will either have to loosen up for the high register or keep a constant embouchure. Also, student-level instruments have a single register vent, making the high register difficult

[foreignboy221]

@BassClarinetMonarch I can play much better now :] The model I used was a Buffet Professional Low-C model, though, not a student horn haha. I was really lucky that the youth orchestra invests a large portion of their money in high quality instruments.

[PengandPan]

Awesome Bass, awesome playing, awesome explanations, and awesome gamelan :D

[MrJamie1957]

Love the Bass. Stephen Trier student RCM 82

[GinaMarz]

For those of you who play both "standard" B flat clarinet AND bass clarinet: Do the instruments have a similar feel, at the basic level?

What were the major transitions in adjusting to bass clarinet?

Thanks for any info!

[mbs306]

yess there is some similar feel but the hardest part is you have to build up your diaphragm to compensate moving from a small mouthpiece to a very large one. the fingerings are very much the same.

[Evilsquirrelie]

yes they are very different, stylistically and in obisure. It takes a month or so to get used to it. But I doubt you will have too much trouble. Just switching back and forth constantly can be a challenge.

The b flat clarinet has an "e" obisure ( how you hold your mouth muscles) while the bass is more of an "o" you. It sits flatter in your mouth, and requires more tounge and opening of the throat than the b flat. If you have more questions just pm me I never mind handing out expertise.

[LordQuizar]

@GinaMarz: Transitioning to the bass clarinet was not a big switch for me. As you may know, reading music and fingerings are identical for the most part, and the different size is not hard to get used to. It also sounds much nicer so I am happier with my playing.

The most difficult part is just ensuring you have parts for music. Be prepared to take bassoon parts.

[Mikatron3001]

The fingerings are the same, but the instrument is one octave lower as well. The Bass Clarinet is a little harder than the regular Bb Clarinet, since you can't bite down, also, when I started it was hard to play the low notes and the high notes. It is much bigger in your hands, the reeds cost a little more, and it's just a great instrument.

[josephford93]

@GinaMarz yeah, it was really easy for me to switch, but i did have quite a bit of trouble with the octave's

but if your beginning level, your just gunna have a small problem with your breathing

[TheFrezer456]

i just switched last year and its the same fingering but u need more air harder to get out the notes and all that junk ;)

[mcox12345678]

I play bass clarinet for ten years now and am still impressed what is possible with this instrument... love it!

[alicecullen2music]

i play the bass clarinet but i only know 3 other people out of thousands ive met play one so they are definatly not common

also bass clarinets rule!!!!!

[IHasAToaster]

@alicecullen2music i played it during my highschool years, it truly was a great instrument.

[austin1052]

@alicecullen2music I'm the admin of the Bass Clarinet page on Facebook! I know at least 1,500 of them!

[Kendallisamazn]

Common?? Bass clarinets arent common! In my school (6-8) there 3 in the whole school!

[emster7013]

i also am a young bass clarinet player who's in love with it i love the low voices in my band

[minazahazazugemo]

YouTubeVideoToMp3 . com

[7venus13]

I also play Bass Clarinet! I have played since beginners band (6th) and I am now in High School Band (8th grade) my school cares really nothing about band so we have two classes. We have Beginners Band (7th now) and High school band (8th- 12th) We also have programs like music appreciation and then guitar but we have nothing else. This was a good video lol

[therandjshow1818]

i play clarinet bass clairnet and alto sax

[superlea14]

play oboe...but i play my bass more lol....i just started the bass clarinet for marching band

[TheTaylorspears]

thats my deal, but i play flute for marching band.. and am kind of regreting it!

[DrAmAqUeEnTm]

Bass Clarinets rock xP

[ScooterBoyEX221]

BASS CLARINET!!!!!! B.A.B.C.!!!

[smokeymatt96]

i just switched from the Bb clarinet to the bass clarinet yesterday! its awesome!!!

[Thejessi403]

I just play Bb clarinet but I really want to play the bass clarinet!! My mom says its to much money =(

[navyroxursox]

bass clarinet is epic lol.

that along with sax and clarinet would be my other choice of instruments :D

[ThePollytheparrot]

i use one in school/home and im 9!

[Frostman999]

I used to have bass clarinet untill i quit band there teachers were mean lol

[CubeFish1524]

that looks awesome =P

[deidaralookalike]

how many different types of bass clarinets are there??...mine goes down to low Eb......

[lespaulman123]

there are more than 30 types of clarinets

something weird is the z style that artie shaw

[TheMegaAntonio]

wish i had a bass clarinet i playthe Bb clarinet

[Colygirly]

@TheMegaAntonio Me too, I play the Bb clarinet, and i have been saving up for the bass clarinet

[caseyjonesleonard]

@TheMegaAntonio the bass clarinet is awesome, you should try to find a place where you can try it out.

[NinjaCOOKIEZZ74]

@TheMegaAntonio i just switched from Bb clarinet to bass:) same thing

[venskus2009]

@TheMegaAntonio wanna buy mine?

[LUVuBUDDYkinda]

ok i play the bass clarinet in my school band and were playing this song called chacone and it is crazy weird it just sounds like a mix of sharps and crap

[OoMrBenoO]

standard Band repertoire. enjoy it!

[gummygumgum2]

the bass clarinet sounds really pretty

[Deltioh]

I love the sound of the bass clarinet. My son played it for 4 years and was an all-state player here in Iowa! I miss that sound!

[flyboy8492]

well, I have one video of me playing a vivaldi piece, not as good as I should have been but it's there. I will be doing 3 more pieces for sure. maybe more in the future.

[bassclarinet1993]

i wish my bass clarinet went down to the bottom Bb mine only goes to Eb

[km426]

no offence but he looks like the guy who comes to the door at a big haunted house.

great player though

[aznNOOBS]

i play the bass clarinet in band. its sexii~

[mrp00nani]

Yes it is... and in a few more weeks ill play the CONTRAbass clarinet even more sexii :P

[sdumat]

I soooo want a bass clarinet. My Bflat just doesn't cut the mustard. I love those low notes, my brain picks out the bass in music more than the melody. I just can't afford one!

[sdumat]

Hi Mr Stenhouse. Showed this clip to my mum-in-law following discussion about bass clarinet, (she plays, & I play Bflat) and she excitedly proclaimed she'd studied alongside you at college. She'd like to say hello and pass on regards, (thats Jenny Dumat, nee Markham).

[avp715]

damn that sound just rapes the bari/bass sax

bass saxes sound like 8 year olds trying to play a bass clarinet

i guess the sax is still better suited for jazz... i just like the smoothness of the clarinet

[razrv3lc]

I think that too. If people would play bass/baritone saxes in something besides jazz, then it would sound that way. I play alto sax and I hate it when people play saxes squeaky, which is always in the annoying jazz bands!

[The70sfreak]

nice instrament. i play bolth bass and regular clarinet, pluss guitar and piano.

[that1chk93]

I love the bass clarinet. I played for about 5 years. I was chosen to play for all-county for two year. I hit high school and my mother put my into an academy at a college and they had no classes I could take. I really miss playing and I had to sell it..Now I am a junior and switched to a regular high school and Ireally regret selling it.

[shinbum]

wow his sound is so stable and soft~

[Inkasuluv]

I am going to play that when I am in high school :D I play the clarinet rite now

[pumpkin091]

I miss my bass clarinet. they're awesome

[snakej8j]

Hey what reeds do you use?

[lilbush98]

I played this instrument before, Its cool but the reed and the mouthpiece was real stink..But its fun to play,and I've been with others who played the bass sax...I played when the Saints go marching in

with this song...The reed is very big and it costs 5$ for 1 of the reeds

[footballlineman1]

isnt the masterclass supposed to help you with the music? all u did was just explain the instrument

[footballlineman1]

cool man i play a low c bass clarinet too i enjoyed the tips u gave

[mason787]

beautiful instrument, low C extension! probably about $10,000

[carlheanerd]

Bass Clarinet is cool, but Alto Clarinet FTW.

[LyonsNick]

I'm sorry but the alto sounds like ass.

[carlheanerd]

Why do you say that?

[LyonsNick]

actually, I take that back. I once sat next to a woman who played alto and she was huge and had a moustache and was terrible so I'm probably biased.

[carlheanerd]

That would be why. You need a unique embouchure for the alto. It isn't as free as the bass but not as tight as the soprano. It is more like a sax, an I know some clarinetists have a hard time getting around that when switching to a sax.

[LyonsNick]

I play the bass consistently, and play Bb on occasion, never tried the Alto though, maybe I should give it a chance

[Meagen917]

my boyfriends plays that!

[doublethelowc]

is it lower than the tuba

[WingedTigerGuy]

a tuba's lowest open note is a whole step lower than the professional C-model (extra keys to play a low c) bass clarinets. That means that it is not lower than a tuba, but it is can go higher by more than a whole step and still have a clarinet sound, while a high tuba sound is annoying and squeaky.

[williebeaty]

f tuba's don't sound quite as squeaky in the high, but sound like crap down low

[madisonxmurray]

i would give an arm and a leg to play with such a great tone quality.

[greengreen31]

They're beautiful, quirky instruments however they're too rare, ludicrously expensive and not very flexible (pitched in Eb with A and C ranges even rarer!). Without the internet, the North West of England sucks for supplying Bass Clarinets. I think the cost is the worst problem though. : (

[StanleyKSCBP]

Wow that's an awesome sound. I'd love to learn with John Stenhouse because he seems like a really nice man

[annieloves80s]

Yes!

[x20skatechick14x]

i love bass clarinet you have a great sound and you can realy play. i wish u would of done like a advanced solo 4 us though.... i hope that i can play music all my life

[dyermaker73]

I LOVE Bass Clarinet! I've been playing music since I was in 3rd grade, and I played only Bass Clarinet for almost 10 years up until my second year of college when studies got in the way... I loved it when they let us play the basson part in symphonic band... I miss it!!!

[DJMiMz]

Bass Clarinets Rule! I wish I had known about YTSO I would have auditioned I just found out...poo

[shinka1911]

YAY BASS CLARINET

[zxzmikezxz]

go bass clarinet!

[classikate]

This guy is great. I'm sending in my YTSO audition pretty soon. Don't laugh too much when you see it.

[Kaiamara]

Which instrument are you trying out for?

[jonhadas]

great! what a sound

[HQartmusic]

extraordinary ¡¡¡

[Spyguy19956]

Hey i play that too and i have played for 2 years and i think it is one of the coolest instruments in the band!

[newallme]

yeah Bass!!!

[whosteenoh]

this dude is amazing.

[blkaznmartin]

His clarion register sounds so good it's pretty much like a clarinet! It's not strained or anything.

[ichs0]

SAXOPHONE FTW!!!

[vacuumlover1]

BOO GO AWAY

[tilsonthomas]

mmmm

[Zmup]

Buffet Crampon Prestige!!! Yeah....like it! Got mine myself!! Yihaa!

[Splediforous]

Beautiful! Thanks so much for the class!

I've got bass videos up. Check 'em! ^.^

[casrunner]

I am so glad I play this instrument

[hesingshesobs]

This man is an institution!

[jomama5509]

wow! he's so amazing! especially the double tonguing which i am currently trying to prefect... i never knew the BC could go to low B flat (c) i always thought it only went to low f (e flat) and stopped there..... i love this instrument!

[SilverTeaPot]

I was shopping on the internet for professional BC, 'cause I wanted my band director to buy a good one. xD

But yeah, I found a few Yamaha that go down to C and I was just like "No waaaay! I want it!" But yeah.. six grand.. don't have that much.

Bug oh my god.. he's so good.

I'm jealous... his double tonguing is amazing! Blaaah. I'm gonna have to try really hard for this.

[blackbirdsingingxx]

I have that Yahama BC :D

[petitbreton]

That's a Buffet bass clarinet.

[xantheman0120]

Selmer professional model is the way to go. you can go to Paris (seriously) and spend a few days, buy one straight off the production line and still spend less than the buffet...personal preference though really.

[blkaznmartin]

Yup I like Selmers better in general too except right now I'm playing my schools Buffet 1180 bass. I can't wait to buy my own Selmer 67 someday.

[singingkeys]

Ah, sucks.

Our school has two really nice wooden Selmers ^^

[blkaznmartin]

Hey my school has two 1180s and I like them, but I don't see why we got them instead of two Selmers. We have a Selmer 37 bass clarinet too plus a few Bundys and Vitos. At least my mouthpiece is a Selmer =Þ! C*s rule!

[singingkeys]

Haha, I have a Selmer mouthpiece but it isn't "technically" mine...

...someone left theirs in the bass clarinet case when it was rented to me... =P

[SilverTeaPot]

He's my hero!

Bwahaha.

Thank god I play this instrument.

[Vini087z]

I'm playing tenor sax for this part...

I know they suggest trombone, which is acceptable, too, but I think if there's a BC part its closer to what a tenor sax part should've been...

they should have an alto clarinet part for alto sax...

[clairannette]

It's Jooohn!!! I haven't seen him since 2000. Look at that breath & tone control! Stenhouse rocks... everybody take notes.

[kstscswjs]

This guy is a master of his instrument, I am totally inspired.

[BaddogGK]

WHYYY is there no piano part ;(

i can't find the sheet music if sombody knows please message me please

[acitonj]

Still bummed about there being no contra-alto part.. that's a man's clarinet :)

/le sigh

Whatever. I am still gonna try to rock this bass clarinet audition hard! :)

This guy have beautiful tone.. amazing.

[Kaishi14]

My Bass Clarinet is much smaller then that. I didn't even know that there were different types of Bass Clarinets. I like mine, but will I need to get yours to be in my hometown symphany when I graduate from high school?

[bennyzee]

Thank you so much for this video. It has convinced me to submit my own video for the contest.

[claroneamor]

Thank you for an elegant introduction to our lovely bass clarinet. Beautifully done, Linnea

[calclar]

go john! beautiful sound, legato, and style...

[Scherzo567]

what an incredible instrument!