Vandoren Bass
Is it the mouthpiece, reeds, bass clarinet, or me?
My bass clarinet is in the shop(with a lot of air leaks) and the school one I’m using won’t let me play any notes lower than c (the one 1 line below the staff). I’m using a mouthpiece recommended by my teacher with bass clarinet hardness of 2 vandoren reeds. I used to play on either fibra cell, tenor sax hardness of 2 vandorens, or bass clarinet hardness of 3-3.5 reeds. On my personel bass clarinet, when it worked, I could play up to the c sharp over the staff. I’m currently using a school bass clarinet with my new mouthpiece with hardness 2 bass clarinet vandoren reeds. I can’t play any low notes. Is it me, reeds, mouthpiece, or bass clarinet? I’m sorry if the description is confusing.
I would have to guess that it is the instrument.In my 30 years of directing the bass clarinets were always in the shops.
I spoke about that to a player in my wind symphony the other day . She really has had no trouble on her personal instrument and it is not top of the line.
Your problem sounds like a key alignment in the bottom hand or a leaking octave key .
Vandoren’s “VandoJam” 2011 NAMM- Eric Marienthal, Tia Fuller, Brian Bromberg on bass