I just finished playing Spamalot. One of the most enjoyable things about it was the chance I had to play a Selmer bass clarinet that went down to a low C.
I knew I was going to be able to borrow one but it totally freaked me out the first time I played it. I got it at a rehearsal with the cast and had no time to practice playing it beforehand. It has such an amazing sound and by the end of the run, I was feeling quite comfortable. I still have it with me at home and look forward to playing some more bass clarinet before I have to return it. I will certainly be looking around the internet to see if I can find my own bass clarinet to buy. At one point a few weeks ago I had 3 different bass clarinets at home on loan!!!
The trickiest thing about the low C bass clarinet is the extra pinky keys. There are only 3 extra notes but the Selmer clarinet I used had 5 additional keys than I was used to. It had an alternate G#/Ab key for the left hand, two different low D keys and the thumb keys on the back for C#/Db & the powerful low C. What an awesome sound!! It took me some time to figure out all the keys and become used to what order I needed to play them in for some passages but I got it!! In the last show I even got some good looks from the MD because the sound was coming out nice and strong because I was much more confident.
I was so glad I got to play that bass clarinet for the show. There were only 2 reed/woodwind players in the show with one of the keyboard players playing other reed/woodwind sounds but I was really glad that I was able to play the bass clarinet parts.
Spamalot is opening tonight, NYE for a special 5pm show. The dress rehearsals have been going really well and I am playing the book better and better every night. I hope that will continue for the run of the show!!! I’m really starting to get my way around the lower end of the Low C bass clarinet and it sounds awesome!! Discovered a leak in the low C# key today so Kara and I did a quick running repair and it makes things a lot easier. I need to glue another cork back on again and will have to remember to do that tomorrow.
I’m loving the reed 2 book in Spamalot. Some really jazzy numbers on sax, a bit of klezmer and some beautiful ballad playing on clarinet and the awesome, terrifically fun bass clarinet parts. I’m loving getting more of a handle of that instrument and playing with more confidence means an increase in volume so I can now actually hear what I’m playing, as can my reed playing companion for the show, Kara.
It’s really hot here but I’m going to do my best to sleep so I can be all prepared for the show tomorrow night. It’s going to be a short run but heaps of fun. I just wish I could see what is going on on stage!!!
