clarinette basse

: a large clarinet that is lower in pitch by an octave than the ordinary B-flat clarinet.

It is larger than a soprano clarinet (the most common type of clarinet) and produces lower notes, but the bass clarinet is played just like a clarinet, with many keys operated by the player's left and right hands. The reed that vibrates to produce sounds is somewhat larger than that of a clarinet.

Uses. The bass clarinet has been regularly used in scoring for orchestra and concert band since the mid-19th century, becoming more common during the middle and latter part of the 20th century. A bass clarinet is not always called for in orchestra music, but is almost always called for in concert band music.

That sounds like a b-flat. In order to get more work in orchestras.

Bass clarinets have also existed in other keys, notably C and A, but are very rare (in contrast to the regular A clarinet, which is quite common in classical music). Most average bass clarinets can play down to a low Eb, while some may have an extension, allowing them to play to a very low C.

The bass clarinet notes are written in B flat, usually in the violin clef (rarely in the basso clef), it just sounds an octave lower than the Bb clarinet. To be very exact, the composer would write a little 8 right under the treble clef, indicating exactly that.

Larger and differently shaped than the standard clarinets, the bass clarinet has a darker timbre that composers often exploit for expressions of gloom and doom, as Mahler does in his Sixth Symphony.

Traditionally, the bass performs two basic and vital functions within a band or group: Bass provides the rhythmic foundation. Bass provides the harmonic foundation.

Eric Dolphy is always listed as one of the best bass clarinetists. He was the first major jazz soloist on the instrument and established much of the vocabulary and technique used by later performers. His style was controversial, loved by some and panned by others. He was known to play a Selmer Low C Bass Clarinet.

The 11 Hardest Musical Instruments to Learn

• Violin. The violin is a wooden stringed instrument that's part of a larger family of similar instruments.
• The French Horn.
• The Organ.
• Bagpipes.
• Accordion.
• Oboe.
• Harp.
• Guitar.

The Bass Clarinet is much easier to play in tune than the Eb clarinet (assuming both are in good condition) but more difficult than the Bb. Most of the difficulty comes from the different tessituras that the instruments sit in.

Compared with trumpet, clarinet is harder because you have all those extra keys and fingers you need to use to play all the notes. Trumpet is harder though because you only have three keys and fingers to play all the notes.